Where Dreams Come True
by kw0414
Summary: Hermione's dream vacation is Severus' worst nightmare. Can their relationship survive a different kind of "magic"?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you to my beta Justine 34 for her dedication and encouragement. I thought this idea could be a fun plot and I would definitely love to hear what you think, so **please review!**  
>Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is not mine.<p>

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><p>The sun sat high in the sky as morning turned to afternoon, but despite its rays, the air was chilled and crisp. It seemed winter had carried on straight through spring, dashing any hope for a warm April. Hermione Granger, standing upon an open hillside, drew her wool cardigan tighter around her as a gust of wind whipped past her, nearly blowing up the hem of her cotton dress.<p>

While the weather conditions were not ideal, if she closed her eyes, she could almost feel the warmth of the sun awaiting her at her destination. Yes, it would be a healthy 27 degrees Celsius when they arrived in Orlando, Florida. For now, however, she would just wait, as it was a good ten minutes before the Portkey would appear to whisk them and the other surrounding families away to their vacation destination. Until then, she would have to settle for her imagination, which painted images of palm trees and cloudless skies.

Unfortunately, the illusion was dissipated by the sounds of a pained grunt and the fearful apology of a young boy. Turning her head, she caught sight of a disgruntled Severus Snape leaning over to rub his knee while a boy, who looked to be no more than seven years old, backed away with a bright red Quaffle tucked under his arm.

"S-s-sorry sir," squeaked the pink-cheeked child, his auburn hair swept to one side of his head by the strong wind gusts assaulting the hillside. His look of fear was met by Severus' angry sneer. This seemed warning enough for the boy, who ran back towards his family as quickly as his little legs could go. Grunting again, Severus straightened and limped over to where Hermione stood, glaring the entire way.

"Could you please explain to me again why we are here?" he asked icily. His glare sat comfortably on his face, muscle memory taking over as his shoulder-length black hair moved in one great form to shadow his eyes. Some might say he wasn't much to look at, but Hermione met his glare with a soft affection.

"Well, you said you didn't want to take any Muggle means," she replied, cupping his cheek with her right hand in a calming gesture. He snorted, but the icy nature of his glare melted slightly as he met her eyes.

"You know what I'm asking…" he drawled. Hermione could only sigh in response. Frankly, it was nothing short of a miracle that she had managed to get him out there. Severus was a quiet man who, on his perfect holiday, would spend his days sitting in his worn, leather armchair, a tumbler of whisky in one hand and a good book in the other. Normally, this would be more than enough for Hermione as well. She was never much for parties or clubs, nor for great thrills or extreme physical exertion. For these reasons, and many more, she and Severus had gotten along quite companionably since they began seeing each other five years ago.

Hermione, however, had a secret. Despite her usual desire for simplicity, there was one destination which had become something of an obsession at a young age. Year after year, she would beg her parents to skip their usual cultural excursions for something a bit more fantastic. Then, each year, while her schoolmates were meeting costumed characters, eating meals with princesses, and watching firework spectaculars, she would find herself in some of Europe's most historical and culturally relevant sites. And despite finding the sites intellectually stimulating, in the back of her mind she wished that just once they would go somewhere a little less serious.

Finally, at the age of twenty-five, Hermione's dream had come true. As a Christmas present, her parents presented her with accommodations for two at the Walt Disney World Resort. And, that was why she now found herself with the task of explaining the magic of Disney to her 45-year-old beau.

"C'mon Severus," she cajoled, tucking her arm under his. "I know you grew up Muggle. Didn't you ever wish, just once, that you could visit Disney World?"

"Not once," he replied sharply. "I had no desire to see any _fake _magic." Rolling her eyes, Hermione resorted to the tactic that had them standing there today. "Well, the tickets and room reservations were non-refundable, and my parents went to quite some trouble to arrange this for us." In lieu of a response, a look of resignation settled on Severus' features and he pulled her into his embrace as the wind whipped at their backs. Hermione sighed into his chest. Fairytales and childhood wishes were not in Severus' vocabulary, but for some reason his desire to please her parents was strong enough to compete with even his most stubborn protests.

To be honest, this parent-pleasing desire puzzled Hermione to no end. It wasn't as if he ever planned to marry her. After five years of waiting, this was one thing of which she could be quite certain. No matter, she was fine with this. Of course, there was always that small nagging image in the back of her mind, much like her dreams of Disney, of a small garden wedding, Severus by her side in his best dress robes. Was it so wrong to want to not only meet Prince Charming (well, a variation), but to marry and live happily ever after as well? Hermione was a sensible woman, but she was still bound to her own flights of fancy.

As Hermione's thoughts shifted from palm trees to weddings, Severus could not ignore his rising irritation. There was no question in his mind that he loved Hermione. He had only been in love twice. The first had evolved into a cumbersome guilt which tied him to a life he would rather forget. Hermione was his second chance. Ever since their first accidental meeting in a bookstore two years after the war, she inspired only a never ending feeling of lightness. He would not let himself get carried away, however. He knew all too well how quickly things might go sour, and thus fought every impulse that could possibly ruin the good thing they had going. He had even gone to great efforts to charm her parents. It seemed his reward was this awful trip. He just couldn't understand how the cultured, mature, intelligent woman he had fallen in love with could be so preoccupied with the most childish, commercial, and plainly ridiculous place on Earth. But, this was what Hermione wanted, so he would try and understand this inferior brand of _magic_.

Severus felt Hermione adjust in his arms and he looked down to see what might have caught her eye. She wore a look of concentration, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth as she watched the children pass the offending Quaffle around the field. If the idea of spending a week surrounded by scolding mothers and naughty children didn't burst his bubble, the wistful look that played across Hermione's face left him rather deflated. This was perhaps the only want Severus could not give. Though he pretended to be, he was not ignorant of Hermione's desire to get married and start a family, and despite his demonstrative aversion to children of all ages, he could not fault her for such wishes.

Severus was rather reserved about his childhood, despite Hermione's continuous prodding for information, but he knew quite a bit of hers. It was one of summers abroad, comforts at home, secret jokes, and affectionate nicknames. His, in contrast, consisted of silent meals, secondhand clothes, and rather pinched looks of irritation. Thus, he felt poorly equipped to show any sort of affection or care to any child, even his own. After all, it had taken him all of five years to learn how to properly share his affection for Hermione, and sometimes, he felt he was still learning. No, a family would be a mistake.

Both Hermione and Severus were startled from their reverie by the sound a soft thud. Swiveling their heads, they were met with the sight of a gangly, blond young man scrambling up from the ground, an enormous, dingy, multi-colored piece of cloth beside him. Hastily dusting his navy conductor-like uniform and straightening his matching hat, the young man addressed the crowd in a hoarse voice, as if the breath had been knocked out of him.

"G'morning, folks! I will be assisting you with your Portkey launch to Orlando, Florida today. The Portkey will be leaving in approximately five minutes, so please gather your things quickly and take a hold of the blanket." With that, he hurried to unravel the crumpled, ratty fabric beside him into a wide circle, nearly five meters in diameter. As the families approached the circle, Hermione and Severus found themselves placed next to the conductor.

"Morning, madam, sir," said the young man cordially before meeting the eyes of Severus. "Pr-pr-professor Snape?"

Severus replied with a predatory smirk. Hermione only huffed and elbowed Severus, hoping the blow might inspire him to back down.

"Why, Mr. Peters, I see you've found a position worthy of your…skills."

"Er…yes, sir," Peters replied, a blush creeping up his neck and onto his cheeks, and his eyes looking decidedly elsewhere.

"Severus!" Hermione hissed tersely. Severus could only give a slight shrug, as if to say 'I'm only having fun'.

"Why is it that a conductor is required?" asked a curious Hermione.

"Well, with all the families launching to this destination, especially during the holidays, it keeps things in order. I'd be lying if I said there weren't a few mix-ups in the past." Peters said this last bit in an undertone, studiously avoiding Severus' gaze.

A sharp chime from Peters' watch ended any further conversation. Checking it with a quick glance, he blew the whistle which hung around his neck on a matching navy cord.

"All right, folks, this Portkey will be leaving in less than one minute, so please hurry and take hold." In response, the remaining stragglers squished in around the circular cloth, leaving no space between the passengers. Sensing his annoyance, Hermione gave Severus' hand a quick squeeze, to which he responded with a quick kiss before the conductor began his countdown.

"This is it folks! Five…Four…Three…Two..." His final shout was muffled as the passengers felt their center of gravity pulled from beneath them.

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><p>Severus landed casually on his feet once the group had reached their destination. Hermione, on the other hand, staggered on wobbling legs behind him, and only steadied when Severus pulled her up by her waist. Taking comfort in his embrace, she let out a groan, muttering, "I'll never get used to this magical travel." Around them, many of the adult travelers were helping their children to their feet, some of whom were on the verge of tears, while others were cheering at the adventure.<p>

"All right, folks, let's make our way to the bus pick-up," directed Peters, who seemed to have made it through the trip unscathed.

"Bus pick-up?" asked Severus as he finally took stock of his surroundings. They had landed in a closed off corner of what looked to be an active airport tarmac. The buzzing in his ears, which he took to be after effects of the Portkey trip, turned out to be the roaring engines of commercial airplanes taking off and landing just beyond their site.

"It seems we'll have to take Muggle modes of transport to the resort. You know, just to reduce suspicions," Hermione replied. Severus raised an eyebrow and gestured to their fellow visitors. Following his gesture, Hermione choked back a laugh.

Although the children were indistinguishable from their Muggle counterparts, in their colorful sun dresses, football jerseys, and athletic trainers, their parents, for lack of a better description, looked straight out of the circus. In the process of shedding their wizard's robes, the men revealed themselves to be wearing all varieties of poorly fitting pants, including some in an embarrassingly close-fitting spandex as well as those which displayed a nearly indecent portion of their pale, British legs. It was unfortunate, since many also wore quite common Muggle button-down shirts. The women were dressed more appropriately, in sun dresses and modest skirts. Though the fabric patterns were garish, they were well within normal Muggle dress.

Both Hermione and Severus had left their robes at home, opting to travel in their ordinary Muggle clothing. Hermione wore a simple cotton dress with a floral pattern, while Severus wore a pair of black slacks with a black button-down shirt. Hermione hoped he wouldn't pass out from heat exhaustion before they reached their hotel room. Secretly, she had packed him more appropriate clothing for the trip, but she was almost certain that the use of the Imperius Curse would be necessary for him to even consider them.

The large group filed into a line behind a gray door, which led into the airport's baggage terminal. Peters addressed the crowd with a final set of instructions.

"Now, I'm going to let you in by family to make you more inconspicuous. You'll turn left and follow the signs to the Disney's Magical Express counter. Remember, act Muggle!"

The last bit of the statement elicited an indelicate snort from Severus, but Hermione was practically bouncing in anticipation. This was it, the moment she had been dreaming of since she was a little girl. She could only hope that the nearly two decades of anticipation would not result in disappointment.

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><p>Hermione was still on a high as she boarded the bus which would take them to their hotel. Beside her, she heard one bus driver whisper to the other, "crazy British tourists," as they spotted one of her fellow wizards, who was incognito. Once again, she found herself stifling back giggles as Severus rolled his eyes. The wizard had blended his desire to look Muggle with his desire to look American, sporting rather short jogging shorts, a t-shirt, and accessorizing with a pair of cowboy boots and a matching hat.<p>

'Honestly,' Severus thought as he watched the man strut towards the bus, 'he would be less obvious in robes.'

Taking his seat, Severus evaluated the situation, deciding that Hermione owed him quite a debt. All around him were rambunctious children and oblivious parents. He would start making his list of demands now.

As the bus left the airport, a film began to play on several overhead monitors. Life-size Disney characters danced onto the screen as a narrator gave hotel check–in instructions and shared some of Walt Disney World's "best kept secrets." In preparation for their arrival, Hermione pulled out a folder containing their itinerary information.

"Hmm, it looks like we will be staying at Disney's Wilderness Lodge," she said as she scanned their reservation.

"Sounds…_accommodating,_" Severus replied, clearly thinking otherwise.

"Yes, well, I had told my parents that you preferred a rather rustic décor."

"Why did you say that?" an offended Severus asked.

"Well, I hadn't anticipated that they would use the information for this! Anyway, it sounds lovely. It's modeled after an inn in the southwest of America. Oh, and it sits right on a lake as well as on the edge of a wooded area. There's a geyser as well- are you listening?" Hermione turned her head to see that Severus had closed his eyes and begun to snore softly. Hermione simply shook her head and continued reading. It seemed men at any age were bored quite easily.

It was another fifteen minutes before Severus and Hermione stepped off the bus in front of the Wilderness Lodge. Assured that their things would be taken inside, they entered the lobby. While Severus strode in without so much as a nod to the greeter at the door, Hermione found herself glued to the floor of the entrance, merely staring around with a slackened jaw.

"Severus, look!" she said, somewhat breathlessly, as she marveled at the lobby. The ceiling was vaulted several stories, held up by what appeared to be pillars of enormous logs. Large canvas chandeliers hung from the ceiling, framed by wrought iron figures of bison, horses and deer. Comfy-looking leather couches and recliners sat atop detailed rugs and wood flooring, and a totem pole stood in front of the long wooden check-in desk, seating several employees. Dim lighting and a roaring fireplace in the corner of the lobby gave the enormous room a cozy feeling, while soft music reminiscent of the old West made for a relaxed atmosphere.

Although he didn't respond verbally to Hermione's command, Severus too was quite impressed with the theming, though he did his best to hide it. Perhaps he did appreciate a rustic setting.

After collecting their room keys and bright yellow "First Visit" buttons, which Severus refused to wear on sight, the couple made their way up to their room on the third floor. Their room was large, colored in natural tones. A king-sized bed sat at its center with a Native American inspired bedspread and a wooden frame detailed with intricate carvings. The room also contained two night stands, a small desk, a bureau, and a cabinet which opened to reveal a flat-screen TV.

Hermione took a deep breath as she walked in. A slight smell of pine permeated the air.

"Oh, Severus, can you smell the pine? Isn't it lovely?"

"Hmm," he responded, inspecting the room.

Walking to the other side, Hermione threw open the long curtains and uncovered a balcony, which could be accessed through a sliding glass door. Stepping out into the fresh air, she marveled at the view. To her right was a thicket of tall trees, a trail running beside it, and to her left was the large pool area, complete with splashing children and sun bathing adults, which opened into the lake on which the resort sat.

Leaning into the railing of the balcony, Hermione smiled and closed her eyes as the sun warmed her face. She heard a few steps beside her before arms came around her waist. Tilting back onto his chest, she tipped her head up slightly, smiling softly at Severus. Turning in his arms, she fixed him with a meaningful look.

"Severus, I know this isn't your cup of tea, but thank you for doing this." Severus bent down to give her a lingering kiss. When they parted, Hermione turned once more to look out at the view.

"It's the castle!" she exclaimed, noting tiny silver towers with blue turrets in the distance.

"Fascinating," drawled Severus, busying himself with kissing her neck. Trying to ignore his attentions, Hermione focused on the distant castle. It wouldn't be easy, but Hermione was determined to have Severus more than tolerating Walt Disney World. However, for the time being, she couldn't quite focus on that. So instead, she turned around once again and met his lips. This and other activities kept them occupied for the remainder of that evening.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Now the adventure begins! Thank you to my beta Justine 34 for all of her grammar help. Also, if you like this chapter, if you hate it, or are even indifferent, **please review! **I would love to get more feedback!  
>Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is not mine.<p>

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><p>Hermione awoke the next morning just as she did every morning, wrapped tightly in the arms of a dormant Severus. Thus, it was only after a few groggy blinks that she caught sight of the foreign blanket in which they were wrapped, and then the bleary image of the entirely foreign room which they occupied. She remembered with a start that they were no longer in cool and windy London, but in sunny Florida. Even more so, she was in the place where dreams come true, Walt Disney World. A fit of giddiness, which she would normally acknowledge as ridiculous, overtook her and she bolted up, nearly leaping from the bed. What prevented her was Severus' arm, which remained tightly wrapped around her torso. All of this became evident when she heard Severus release a groan as she nearly dislocated his arm from the rest of his body.<p>

"Sorry, sorry!" she whispered urgently while gently removing his arm from around her. His only response was to turn over, grumbling as he settled himself back to sleep. Leaning over to plant an apologetic kiss on his brow, she whispered, "Sorry," once more before tiptoeing out of bed and into the bathroom to get ready.

After taking a quick shower and donning her weather appropriate attire (a pair of khaki shorts, a soft pink tank top, and black flip-flops), Hermione weaved her fluffy curls into a tidy braid and slathered on the sun screen with a slight cringe.

With a final glance at the mirror, Hermione emerged from the bathroom, careful to leave the still snoozing Severus undisturbed. Once more tiptoeing- a difficult feat in flip-flops- she turned down the room's small corridor and out the door, closing it behind her with hardly a sound. Taking a deep breath, Hermione smiled to herself. The early hours of the morning were always her favorite time of day. She enjoyed walking through empty hallways as the early morning light streamed through nearby windows, the world so quiet that the calls of birds could be heard.

Making her way down the carpeted hallway, her flip-flops slapping softly at her heels, Hermione considered what she and Severus would do today. Knowing what he might prefer to do, it was quickly decided that getting him out of the hotel room as soon as possible would be key, before he caused any _distractions_. However, she was still unsure how she would introduce him to Disney World. She realized where ever he went, it would be kicking and screaming, but perhaps there would be a way to soften the blow…

Reaching the end of the hallway, she leaned slightly on the banister overlooking the lobby as she scanned over a collection of empty chairs. A few people roamed about, cardboard cups in hand, filled to the brim with coffee. Members of the staff flitted about, arranging cushions, wiping off tables, arranging brochures and signs. It was this quiet frenzy which Hermione enjoyed most about early mornings.

Ready to join this secret society of early risers, Hermione climbed down the stairs to the lobby. With her Severus dilemma still in mind, she approached the concierge desk. "Lynne," as her name tag read, greeted her with a ready smile. Her hair was cropped into a smart, pixie cut, her make-up naturally toned, save for the slight pink in her lipstick. She had teeth that Hermione's parents would worship.

"Good morning," she began in a harmonious, but soft voice. She was friendly, but not too boisterous for seven o'clock in the morning. "Is there anything I can assist you with?"

"Well, I'm a bit undecided about my plans for today," Hermione replied with a smile. "I was hoping you might give me some advice."

"No problem," Lynne said, grabbing a handful of brochures from a nearby stand and laying them out on the counter. "Now, are you planning to go to one of the theme parks today?"

"Yes," answered Hermione, trying her best to sound like a reasonable adult, and not like the overexcited child that kept creeping into her voice. "But, well, my…_boyfriend_ isn't much a fan of theme parks. Quite frankly, he's not really a fan of this trip." She was nearly cringing, thinking of the look of indignity Severus would have at hearing her refer to him as her _boyfriend_.

"Thinks it's a bit cheesy?" Lynne asked sympathetically.

"Yes, that's the long and short of it, I suppose," Hermione replied grimly.

"Hmm," Lynne hummed as she began shuffling through the brochures. Finally, she placed one in front of Hermione. The title "Disney's Animal Kingdom" was printed at the top in green font and a large picture of a safari truck filled with passengers photographing a nearby elephant filled in the bottom three-quarters.

"Is it a zoo?" asked Hermione as she unfolded the brochure, revealing a map of the sprawling park centered on what appeared to be a giant tree.

"Not quite," Lynne said as she circled various sites on the map with a blue ink pen. "It does provide opportunities to view and learn about animals from all over the world, but there also musicals and few thrill rides." Giving a quick glance at some of the descriptions, Hermione looked unconvinced.

"And you think this is where we should start?" asked Hermione skeptically. As if accepting the challenge, Lynne responded by writing number beside the circled attractions.

"While there will be a few character viewings and rides for the kids, it's a smaller park focused more on the real animals than the animated ones," Lynne said. "I think it'll offer a glimpse of Disney without overwhelming him. Of course, I would suggest leaving the park before the parade." There was a look of amusement in her eyes as she said the last bit.

"All right, then, we'll take your advice," Hermione agreed, folding up the brochure. "Thank you Lynne. You may see me again tomorrow, as this is my first time here."

"No problem Ms.-"

"Hermione," supplied Hermione. With one last parting smile, Hermione turned away, in route to her room. Now came the hard part.

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><p>Despite the inhospitable name, Severus found himself quite comfortable in his bed at the Wilderness Lodge. Aside from a brief disturbance earlier that morning, he had slept quite soundly. Then, the disturbance returned. It was eight o'clock in the morning when he heard his name being called in a soft, singsong manner, while a hand gently rubbed his exposed arm. Enjoying the sensation, Severus elected not to respond, and instead sighed contentedly. However, after a few more minutes of this the hand ceased to rub his arm, choosing instead to grip it slightly and shake it. The crooning of "Severus" became an "Oh don't be a child, Severus!" Sighing, Severus realized this was his cue. He rolled from his side onto his back, and groggily rubbed his eyes. As they focused, Hermione appeared, perched on his right with a steaming mug in hand.<p>

"You know, you don't have to so stubborn all of the time," she admonished as she held out the mug, though there was little bite in her voice. Sitting up, Severus took the mug gratefully, sipping the bitter blackness as if it were water.

"You clearly like a challenge," replied Severus, feeling the caffeine take effect. Removing the mug from his hands and placing it on the bedside table, Hermione leaned over him, gracing his lips with a good morning kiss.

Pulling away, she replied, "Yes, that must be it. Now off to the shower with you."

Groaning, Severus swung his legs over the bed and made his way to the shower, yelling over his shoulder, "Yes, mother." He quickly closed the bathroom door behind him, effectively blocking any response.

Shortly after, Severus emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Hermione, have you unpacked my clothes for the week?" he asked from the doorway.

"Yes, they're right there on the bed," she replied, sitting at the desk and appearing to avoid his eyes at all costs. Glancing at her suspiciously, Severus shifted his stare from Hermione to the bed, where he found a pair black shorts and a short-sleeved button-down with….were those pineapples?

"Fruit? You packed me a shirt covered in fruit!" he exclaimed, picking up the piece of cloth and looking at it as if it were stained with feces.

"Well, I'm sorry, but that's all the stores had. This April hasn't been much of a short sleeves month," Hermione answered, looking slightly apologetic but ready to stand her ground.

"And I refuse to wear those," Severus continued, pointing at the offending shorts.

"Well, they're black, at least," reasoned Hermione, who approached him cautiously. Guessing her game, he snatched up the clothing and retrieved his wand from the bedside table.

"I am transfiguring these into something more appropriate," he replied, pointing his wand at the garb, but before a single word could leave his lips, the clothes flew from his grip and into Hermione's arms.

"You will do no such thing," she countered, holding her own wand in front of her defensively. "Now, I agree, the pattern on the shirt is ridiculous, and you may change that as you please, but I will not have you going out in your usual long-sleeved, long trousers armor. It is far too hot, and I refuse to cut my day short just because you're too stubborn to avoid heat stroke!"

"Now you see here-" Severus began before being cut off shortly.

"Severus," Hermione commanded, "Be reasonable."

Gritting his teeth, Severus snatched up the clothes from Hermione's arms and walked back towards the bathroom. Before closing the door behind him, he heard Hermione shout over her shoulder, "Oh, and put on some of that sun screen." Mumbling irritably about being henpecked, Severus closed the door behind him with a snap.

Thus, Severus found himself an hour later dressed in black shorts, a plain white, short-sleeved button down, and doused with enough sunscreen to not only block the harmful UV rays, but repel them completely. Still smarting from losing the argument only an hour before, he wore a glare for the entirety of the bus ride from the Wilderness Lodge to the gates of Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Leaning over in her seat with a barely contained look of amusement, Hermione whispered into her lover's ear, "Sweetheart, you're scaring the children with a face like that." Sure enough, he had noticed several of the children also riding the bus sneaking glances at him, hiding themselves partially behind their ignorant parents. Upon reaching their destination, Hermione took Severus' hand and led him off the bus and to the side.

"I'm sorry about this morning, Severus," she said quietly, though she didn't look repentant enough as far as he was concerned. "But, you know why I nag, don't you?" When he continued to look cross, she sighed and shook his shoulder slightly, forcing him to look her in the eye. "It's because I love you, Severus, and because I fear heat stroke might make you even crabbier than your current state." He sensed the slight mirth in her voice, but decided she was punished enough. Kissing the tip of her nose, he motioned for her to lead the way.

As they approached the entrance turnstiles, Severus could already hear the sound of African rhythms. After a brief glance at nearby bushes, he spotted what appeared to be a plastic rock speckled with holes. Severus simply snorted at this camouflaged speaker. _Magic my arse._

Once inside the gates, the couple paused as Hermione inspected a map she had pulled out from her famous beaded bag.

"The woman I spoke to at the concierge desk suggested we check out the safari first," Hermione said as she examined the unfolded page.

"When did you manage to speak to someone at the concierge desk?" asked a perplexed Severus.

"While you were getting your beauty rest," she replied cheekily. He considered responding with a barb, but decided against it, instead replying, "Well, lead the way, my dear."

Reaching the center of the park, they were met with the largest tree Severus had ever seen. Aptly named the "Tree of Life", it stood as large as a building, with bright green leaves and profiles of animals carved into its trunk. Though struck by its immense size, Severus refused to let on his amazement, and instead beckoned Hermione to continue. As they walked through the park towards their destination, Severus spotted several possible irritations, such as roaming photographers, employees peddling their merchandise, and worst of all, costumed performers dressed in furry suits and large plastic heads. Thankfully, Hermione lead him past all of these hazards.

However, Severus soon discovered his first true reason to dislike Disney World shortly after entering the queue for the Kilimanjaro Safari: long lines.

"Thirty minutes! They expect us to wait thirty minutes for this!" complained Severus as he and Hermione stood midway through a winding queue.

"It isn't_ that _long, Severus. Besides, we're moving through it quite quickly," Hermione replied in a soothing manner.

"Well, it better be worth the wait. We probably could have apparated to Africa and back by now!"

"Shhh, not so loudly! And, no, I believe there might be some travel laws which could restrict that. Anyway, I'm sure we'll enjoy the ride. It'll give you a chance to observe whole animals for once, not just their eyeballs and other internal organs." Choosing to ignore that comment, Severus remained quiet for the rest of queue.

Finally reaching the end, Hermione and Severus found themselves corralled into a group with an older couple, who smiled politely at Hermione, and tried to smile at Severus, though faltering. The entire group was directed into one of the ten rows of seats on a tan safari truck. To blend in with the storyline, the over-sized truck had a rusted appearance with a large logo of the fake safari company painted on it doors. Road-worn luggage was strapped to its roof and brown camouflaging stripes decorated its sides. The driver wore a beige safari-style outfit, complete with a beige slouch hat. As they slid onto the bronze-cushioned seats, Severus noted a map across the top detailing the types of species they would encounter.

While he read silently the may, Severus heard Hermione say, "Oh, I really hope we get to see an elephant!" She had been so excitable the last couple days, even before the trip had started. It was starting to grate on him. She sounded like some of his former students, girly and giggling. He had found her lack of giggling one of her most appealing traits, and he wasn't sure how much of this squealing over this and that he could take.

Apparently noticing Severus' discomfort, Hermione placed a hand on his arm and said a little more calmly, "Sorry, I'll try to keep the squealing to a minimum."

Clearly, the other passengers on the truck had not received this memo. It was as if some of these passengers had not seen another living being outside of humanity, screaming out as they saw a new species, leaning into _other people's _personal space in desperation to snap a picture of a rather bored looking wildebeest as the safari truck bumped along the uneven road. Severus could not even enjoy the view of the rather magnificent looking elephants (yes, he would have to agree with Hermione on this one), as all around him people were shouting instead of expressing their awe in silence, as he had elected to do. Worst were the children, who would kick their feet into the back of his seat in excitement, constantly yelling a mispronounced version of each animal's name. At one point, one of those twits even pulled Severus' hair as he climbed on his mother's lap for a closer look at a sunning hippo.

Becoming more and more disgruntled as the ride continued, Severus' irritation eased when Hermione took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. The truck had rumbled to a stop once more in order to give the passengers an opportunity to photograph a sleeping White Rhino.

"Severus, look over by those trees," Hermione whispered in his ear. Looking in that direction, he spotted a lean cat-like creature lying at the top of a shaded hill; its head was upright, scanning the sloping grasslands. When he squinted, Severus could make out that the creature was a cheetah, its fur a blending of brown and gold, lightening to white at its belly, and covered in black spots.

"Shh," Hermione whispered with a grin, a finger to her lips. "We wouldn't want the rabid tourists killing themselves for a photo."

It was a small gesture, the secret Hermione had shared with him, but if asked later which animal he found the most breathtaking on the safari, Severus would reply that it was the lounging cheetah, hiding in the shadows.

* * *

><p>Considering the past couple hours, Hermione was sure today could not have been more of a disaster. Severus looked as if he had not enjoyed himself at all as they drudged down a shady path to the Asia-themed section of the park. Hermione wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, the thickening humidity causing tiny ringlets to escape her braid and curl around her forehead.<p>

It had begun, well, badly. Following the disaster of the safari, Hermione had ushered him on to item two of the list, the jungle trek. The 'trek' was more of a leisurely walk through various animal exhibits, themed to match the animals' natural African habitat. It offered up-close views of a range of African animals, including gorillas, meerkats, and hippos. Severus seemed to enjoy it at first. All of the excitable children ran through each viewing area, leaving the couple in peace as they observed the different creatures and read the accompanying information plaques. They grasped hands lightly as they walked, fingers intertwined. Hermione could be seen smirking as she watched her partner read the information with a critical eye. First and foremost, Severus was always an academic.

His mood failed to improve, however. It certainly didn't help that their next stop on the itinerary, The Flights of Wonder bird show, resulted in several of the birds flying off their practiced course and landing on several parts of Severus (shoulders, head, and knees). Of course, the audience thought it was all a part of the show, while Severus' scowl only deepened. Despite the sincere apologies from the show's staff, who claimed this _never _happened, Severus all but stomped out.

In a last-ditch effort to salvage the day, and hopefully Severus' spirit, Hermione had now convinced him to go with her to Asia to visit another jungle trek. As she had hoped, he seemed to be mellow as they walked along the trail. Despite the increasing heat, fans placed strategically among the foliage blew cool air on them. Severus hadn't said a word about the heat, however, too fascinated by the scaly Komodo dragon and the large, monochrome tapir. While interested by the animals, the realistic stone temples and ancient-looking murals which decorated the trail also caught Hermione's eyes. The attention to detail was amazing.

Hermione began to worry again as Severus marched them through the bat house, looking slightly disgruntled. However, he was stopped in his tracks once they reached the next exhibit. The trail led them onto a stone bridge overlooking a white engraved fountain which drained down several stone stairs into a wading pool below. Lying atop the first step was a tiger; nearly three meters long with large paws, long whiskers, and of course, black stripes marking its copper-colored fur. It seemed nothing short of majestic as it sat up there, casually licking his paw and distractedly flicking his ear as an errant fly buzzed by.

"They're the largest species of cat in the world, you know," spoke a man who came up beside them. Despite looking like your typical white American, the man wore a long, paisley-patterned shirt, cinched at the waist with a red band, and mustard yellow pants, pulled up to the calf. His name tag read "Jeff". Apparently, this dress was traditional somewhere in Asia.

"Oh yes, I know," replied an enthusiastic Hermione. "I've also read that their stripe patterns are unique to each tiger, like fingerprints to humans."

"Right you are," Jeff replied with a chuckle.

"Ten points to Gryffindor," Severus whispered in her ear with a smirk.

Elbowing him slightly, Hermione replied, "Oh, you know that's what you love about me." They remained there, watching the tiger long after Jeff had moved on to another group of visitors.

"Tigers have always been my favorite animal," Severus said suddenly.

"Really?" replied a shocked Hermione. This was news to her, though she was certain that he would have just laughed at her mockingly had she asked him, 'what's your favorite animal?'

"Yes," he continued, looking almost surprised at himself for mentioning it. "It has been ever since I went to the circus."

"Severus Snape at the circus?"

"Yes, well, I was quite young; four years old, I believe," he said. "This was long before my father had determined quite definitively that I would never live as a Muggle; when he still acknowledged my existence." The last statement dripped with bitterness. Hermione remained quiet, hoping he would continue.

"I remember it was in a large canvas tent, painted in blue and green. There were all sorts of performers: clowns and tight rope walkers and men breathing fire and eating swords. All the sorts you would expect, I suppose." He paused, laughing slightly. "Freaks, my father called them. Oh, he found them entertaining there at the circus, where they belonged, but they certainly shouldn't be outside in society with the rest of the 'normal' folks. Luckily, I hadn't proven myself to be a 'freak' at that point. I had not emitted a spark of magic, much to my mother's hidden disappointment. But then it happened."

"What happened?" Hermione asked softly.

"We were watching the show and they had just brought out the tiger. He looked a bit like this one, just as large, but I suppose with a different stripe pattern," he said, playfully nudging Hermione. "They had him leashed with a large metal chain around his neck. First, they had him doing tricks; leap on to this, jump off of that. But, then, I guess they wanted him to stand up to demonstrate his full height." Severus' eyes darkened. "His trainer began antagonize him with a thin whip, lashing at him until he would stand. The trainer couldn't see that the tiger clearly didn't have enough length to stand, however, and the poor creature could only pull against his chain desperately. The crowd began to jeer, including my father." Snape paused once more before continuing. "Finally, the tiger was nearly choking itself, straining again his metal collar. And, I just couldn't take it anymore. I felt overwhelmed with both rage and pity, watching the poor creature struggle again his chains. I kept wishing he would simply break through the collar. And then the collar just disappeared. Poof."

"You first sign of magic," Hermione whispered. Snape smiled down at her sadly.

"Yes, there it was, proof that I was a wizard. We left shortly after this, as the tiger had now begun to attack his trainer."

"Oh no!" gasped Hermione.

"The crowd thought the disappearing collar was a part of the act, a magic trick. Of course, once the tiger had taken off his trainer's hand, it became clear this was not planned. My father had known, though, that it was not a trick of the circus, but my own. I remember the stony look he gave me as he snatched my hand and led me out. He had all the proof he needed."

"Is that when-"

"He began ignoring my existence? Yes, that was it. It's always a strange memory for me now."

Hermione glanced up at him carefully, taking his hand in hers.

"Thank you for telling me that story, Severus." Looking slightly frazzled, Severus began to lead her away from the exhibit.

"Yes, well, we should keep moving."

Hermione followed in silence, hardly noticing anything else along the trail. She had known already that Severus' childhood in no way resembled her own, having seen his family home and heard the smallest snippets of his childhood memories. Harry had also told her of the memories he had seen, the mismatched clothing, the hand-me-down books. None of that compared with what he had shared. Effectively, he had lost his father when he was four years old in a way that few experience. He was trapped living with a man that despised his existence. 'Not unlike his least favorite student,' thought Hermione. No wonder he had no desire to even consider a family, he had never had a real one.

With all of these thoughts floating around in her head, Hermione made a decision. She would give him a real childhood. No, she couldn't go back in time, but what better place to find your inner child than at Walt Disney World? Clearly, he needed this trip even more that she did, and if she had anything to say about it, he would enjoy it. After all, this was where dreams come true.

As plans began to form in Hermione's head, an unsuspecting Severus peered into a tree to get a better look at one of the colorfully plumed birds nesting above. Turning to show Hermione his discovery, he spotted her seated on a bench, a suspicious look of concentration painted on her face. Recognizing the look, Severus sighed. He didn't know what she was up to, but he wasn't looking forward to finding out.

* * *

><p>Of course, their day wouldn't be complete without going on one more ride. At least, that was Hermione's argument for dragging Severus through the park in search of one last attraction before they called it a day. The first attraction they encountered was immediately ruled out. Severus didn't care how hot and humid it was, there was no way Hermione could convince him to ride the Kali River Rapids without risking serious harm. Severus Snape does not do water rides.<p>

With the first ride dismissed, Hermione fought harder for the second.

"It has both cultural and mythical aspects," Hermione argued as they stood outside of the faux Nepalese village at the foot of Expedition Everest. Severus watched as one train of riders made its way up precarious tracks, disappearing behind the side of the mock Himalayan mountain.

"It's a death trap," retorted Severus as another train came speeding down the other side of the mountain in a vertical drop, passengers screaming at the top of their lungs as it went.

"There's a yeti," Hermione replied, clearly grasping at this point.

Severus simply said, "No," and on they went. After weaving their way around the prehistoric-themed kiddie rides of Dinoland U.S.A., the couple had finally found a winner. Or, at the very least, something Hermione could convince Severus to ride. Housed in a non-descript gray building with a jade dome, DINOSAUR appeared harmless. In fact, a statue of a friendly-looking iguanodon greeted them at its entrance.

"Hmm," Hermione hummed at she read the guide, "it's a dark ride featuring animatronic dinosaurs from the cretaceous period. Should be…educational." Severus eyed her suspiciously, but acquiesced. If he was ever going to get out of this park, he would have to agree to something. Besides, how bad could it be?

The line was uninteresting, made up of winding stanchions through a mock museum exhibit. Severus quietly observed the skeletons of prehistoric reptiles as Hermione eyed the end of the line nervously. He was about to ask her if something was wrong when an attendant ushered them and twenty others into a small room with a large projection screen. Severus gave Hermione a questioning glance before the screen lit up with the pre-ride movie. As safety instructions were narrated over footage of an accelerating vehicle, it was suddenly clear to Severus why Hermione was so nervous.

Once the movie ended, the doors on the other end of the room opened and all of the occupants exited, including a reluctant Severus.

"You aren't angry, are you?" Hermione asked apprehensively as she and Severus climbed into the front row of a white, jeep-like vehicle.

"I suppose it might be hypocritical to berate you for being a little underhanded," he replied. "But, don't think you'll get away with it again."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," Hermione said with a sly smile. Before Severus could reply, the vehicle moved forward with a jolt. After rolling through a fog-filled room with flashing lights, simulating their travel through time, the car burst forward into a lush, moonlit forest. Though he realized he was still in the unremarkable building he had entered a half an hour before, Severus was impressed with the simulated forest, which included the soft hum of insects.

There wasn't much time to admire the scenery, however, as the car continued to speed forward, turning sharply and bouncing with every bump. Severus certainly wasn't old, but he wasn't young either, and was finding the sudden stops and starts quite uncomfortable. Hermione was clutching his arm tightly as more threatening robotic dinosaurs popped out from dark corners.

Finally, the vehicle roared to a stop. Thinking this was finally the end, Severus sighed with relief. However, his relief dissipated at the sound of a loud roar, and suddenly, a large dinosaur was looming over their vehicle. Severus scowled with irritation as the red, horned dinosaur leaned over the vehicle, standing nearly seven meters in height and roaring with apparent anger. Then, with a quick flash of light, the car lurched forward once more, zigzagging as loud explosions erupted around it.

Finally reaching the ride's end, Severus and Hermione climbed out of the car looking equally shell-shocked.

"Well, that was quite good," Hermione said, attempting to sound casual as she continued to lightly grasp Severus' arm.

"Quite good?" Severus asked in exasperation. "It just flung us around, flashing lights and attempting to deafen us.

"The dinosaurs were quite realistic," Hermione countered as they entered the gift shop.

"Well, you certainly thought so," Severus replied, nodding meaningfully at the way Hermione still clung to his right arm. Hermione looked as if she might argue, but something else caught her eye.

"Oh, oh my," she stuttered through laughter. Severus turned to follow her stare, finding a wall full of screens. It appeared that all the riders were photographed at some point during the experience. Spotting their photograph, the couple moved closer to the screen. The picture, which had been taken from an elevated position, revealed a vehicle full of passengers in various states of distress, including Hermione, who had hidden her head in Severus' shoulder. Severus, however, sat quite stoically, scowling at the camera with a look of deep loathing.

"Oh, I'm buying this," Hermione said, her laughter subsiding.

"You will do no such thing!" This command, however, fell on deaf ears as Hermione ran off. Thus, the couple ended their day at Disney's Animal Kingdom with one extra item in tow, an item Severus vowed to burn as soon as he could get his hands on it.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you to my beta Justine 34 for all of her suggestions and grammar help. Thank you also to verasuspense, who inspired the addition of Mickey Ears for Severus. Also, if you like this chapter, if you hate it, or are even indifferent, **please review! **I would love to get more feedback!  
>Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is not mine.<p>

* * *

><p>Severus and Hermione sat in the relaxing atmosphere of the Artist's Point restaurant at the Wilderness Lodge after a long day at Disney's Animal Kingdom. The restaurant was decorated in earth tones with landscape murals covering the ceiling and sections of the wall. Hanging chandeliers and mounted lanterns gave the room a soft glow, completing the calming atmosphere.<p>

Starved from a day of walking, Severus immediately tucked in to his meal as soon as it arrived. As he cut off a piece of his Wild King Salmon and placed it in his mouth, Severus noticed Hermione rearranging the meal on her plate. Savoring the flavor of the salmon, Severus chewed and swallowed his food with complete satisfaction. He wasn't sure how much he cared for this Disney place, but he could quite possibly live off of this food forever. Looking over at his dining companion once more, Severus noted that she had not taken one bite of the chicken breast sitting before her.

"Aren't you hungry?" Severus asked, before taking another bite of his exquisite meal. Hermione looked up, eyes glassy, as if waking from a trance.

"Oh, yes! I hadn't even noticed the food had arrived." Severus glanced at her suspiciously. The food had arrived several minutes before, and she had been moving it around with her fork for at least two. However, she was now cutting into it with zeal, leaving Severus to ponder what his witch was up to. Save for their dinosaur adventure, she had been like this all afternoon. Specifically, her attention seemed to be elsewhere ever since his little trip down memory lane. Sighing with regret, Severus realized that all of this must have to do with his tiger revelation. Though he wasn't sure, knowing his little "do-gooder," Hermione had probably spent her afternoon silently cooking up some plan to avenge his childhood.

_Why can't she leave well enough alone? _Severus thought to himself. _Not everything can be fixed. She shouldn't waste her time._ He had told her this early on in their relationship, of course; the entire spiel: dark past, obsessive thoughts, ridiculous jealousy. And she had accepted it with a knowing smile. In truth, she had calmed some of his more _destructive _tendencies over the years with that same knowing smile and trusting attitude. But, if she thought she could smooth over his entire dour childhood, she was sadly mistaken.

Now that she had begun to eat, Hermione seemed to be less pensive and more cheerful, humming a tune to herself as she ate.

"Hermione," Severus said, nearly turning his head sideways as he examined her for symptoms of head injury. "Is everything all right? You've been rather…distant this afternoon." Hermione looked up from her now half-empty plate.

"Oh, no," she replied brightly, a dangerously cheerful smile on her face. "I've just been thinking of what we might do tomorrow."

"Oh," Severus said succinctly. Experience told him it was best not to ask. As the meal went on, however, Severus couldn't help but ask the question that had been gnawing at him since day one of this ill-fated trip.

"Hermione, why are we here?"

Looking up from her meal with a cautious smile, she replied simply, "Because you said if I dragged you to that rowdy Whispering Canyon for dinner, you would Apparate on site."

"Hermione," he said once more, "you know what I'm asking." The cautious smile began to slide from Hermione's face, and she sighed, as if mustering the energy to complete an impossible task.

"Well, to be honest, it's always been a dream of mine."

"But why?" Severus asked, flabbergasted.

"All right, I'll see if I can explain this to you," she said, putting down her silverware and wiping her hands on the cloth napkin sitting on her lap. Meeting his eyes again, she continued.

"Disney was my first real taste of magic. No, not _our _magic," she added noticing Severus' look of skepticism, "but this amazing Muggle ingenuity. I remember seeing pictures and commercials for this place, and thinking, how are these things even possible?"

Severus remained skeptical, rearing to argue his point, but Hermione cut him off before he could get a word in.

"I know what you're going to say now," she said quickly, holding up her hand. "You'll say that I was sucked into some clever marketing scheme that creates sycophants, begging my parents for something just because it was on the telly. But look around you." With that, she gestured to the restaurant they were in and the resort at large. "Today we rode in safari truck, walked through an ancient temple, stood at the foot of Mount Everest, and were chased by a gigantic dinosaur."

"But none of those things are real!" Severus argued in exasperation.

"But didn't they feel real?" Hermione asked. This only served to further frustrate Severus.

"Well, at times, yes, but, well, you've been chased by a troll that was probably the same size as that dinosaur! You've been to war!"

Hermione didn't respond right away, and instead a sad smile spread across her face. "You're right, of course. Not to sound boastful, but sometimes I can't even believe the things I've been through. But I did those things because I had to; they were literally life or death. This is just fun and pretending. I've spent nearly half of my life watching my back, but this, I can just sit back and enjoy."

Severus considered her words. It made sense. She was a Gryffindor, after all. She enjoyed a good risk, a good fantasy. This would be her ideal vacation; all of the adventure without all of the risk. And after all, she had put up with him, so didn't she deserve it?

"Well, I suppose I could _try _to appreciate it a little more," Severus conceded, taking a sip of his wine.

"I know enjoyment is against your nature," Hermione said sarcastically, "but I think if you give it a chance, you might find something here." Eating the last bite of his salmon, Severus silently hoped that he did too.

* * *

><p>Hermione awoke the next morning ready to put her plan into action. She had taken a shower and dressed without waking the slumbering Severus. Before creeping out of the room, she threw his sleeping form one last look. He had rolled onto his belly, his head turned to the side as he let out soft snores. Most amusing was the way he had adjusted his position so that his bum pointed in the air slightly. Watching him with a loving smile, she resolved that her plan was not only necessary, but it was also what he deserved. With that, she slipped out of the hotel room and made her way to the lobby.<p>

Lynne looked just as she did the morning before, with a crisp uniform and a welcoming smile.

"Good morning, Hermione!" she chirped as Hermione approached the counter.

"Good morning, Lynne!" Hermione replied brightly, unable to resist Lynne's contagious cheer. "I'm surprised you remember me! I'm sure you see hundreds of guests every day."

"Yes," she agreed, "but none with such a unique name! So, tell me, did you and your boyfriend enjoy Animal Kingdom?"

"Oh, yes," Hermione answered, hoping Lynne didn't hear the lie creeping into her voice. "We loved seeing all of the animals in such natural-looking habitats."

"Did you catch the Flights of Wonder show? It's my favorite!"

"Why, yes, we did. We loved it, too!" Okay, now she really was lying; time to get down to business.

"Actually, Lynne, I was hoping you might help me with a little… project." Lynne's eyes lit up at the proposition, and she was practically leaning over the desk to hear Hermione's request.

"You see," Hermione continued, "my boyfriend, he's had a… difficult life. I think it has prevented him from truly enjoying this experience. But, maybe if I can immerse him a little more, make him remember what it's like to be a kid again, I don't know, maybe he'll be able to appreciate it better."

"Immersion," Lynne said slowly, as if considering her words very carefully. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Couldn't that, I don't know, overwhelm him?" Lynne had apparently tipped her guest service cap to the side in favor of reason. Determined, Hermione plowed on.

"Nothing too drastic, of course," Hermione replied, trying to ignore her own doubts. "Um, I was hoping you could help me arrange dining with the characters."

"Character dining," Lynne echoed, clearly trying to control her own doubt. "All right then, let's see here." After a second of intense keyboard typing and mouse clicking, reservations were made for the next day at the Crystal Palace buffet at the Magic Kingdom. "Right, is there anything else you had planned?"

Biting her lip lightly, Hermione nodded. "Is there some way I could have embroidered Mickey Ears ordered without actually going into a store? I'm fairly certain Severus would haul me all the way back to Britain if I even tried."

"_Severus_, no kidding," Lynne marveled as she wrote down the name on a pad, followed by the equally unique Hermione. "Sure thing, dear; I'll have them sent to your room tomorrow."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Hermione gushed with relief.

"Now, do you need any help planning your itinerary for today?" Lynne asked, setting out a myriad if maps just as she did the day before.

"Yes, that would be lovely." After scanning the row with a considering glance, Lynne plucked one map out of the group and unfolded it.

"Okay, if you insist on immersion, especially with a character meal, we'll have to give your Severus a better warm-up than Epcot." The map Lynne had chosen was labeled Disney's Hollywood Studios. As Hermione glanced at its attractions and their descriptions, Hermione noted it was certainly smaller than Animal Kingdom, and in place of large tree, a gigantic, star-covered sorcerer's hat sat at its center.

"It's not Magic Kingdom, but there is a parade," Lynne explained. "The theme is the movies, so most of the attractions are based off of a specific movie or a part of film production. You'll certainly see more characters there than you saw yesterday, and there's a few thrill rides if you're up for it."

Hermione paled slightly at this suggestion. "Perhaps we'll skip those." Nodding, Lynne picked up her pen and circled attractions just as she did the day before.

"Guys tend to like this park," Lynne said with a shrug. "Maybe it'll be a winner with your guy, too." Though a quick read left Hermione slightly doubtful, she mustered a bright smile and thanked Lynne one last time before returning to her room to wake Severus.

* * *

><p><em>So far, so good,<em> Hermione thought as she and Severus exited their shuttle bus from the Wilderness Lodge. Severus had been in a reasonably good mood that morning. 'Reasonably' meant that he did not argue with her about the hour at which he was awoken, or the clothing she had set out for him. In fact, he had leaned over and kissed her before grabbing the clothes and returning to the bathroom to finish dressing. He had also not complained when the child seated behind them on the bus began to kick their seat, and silently dusted the glitter from his hair as small girl with otherwise occupied parents ran through the bus, throwing 'pixie dust' on the passengers. _Yes,_ Hermione thought as she and Severus strolled towards the entrance of Disney's Hollywood Studios, _this might be a good day, indeed._

After entering the park and consulting their map, it was decided that they would go on the Great Movie Ride first. Unfortunately, this meant navigating a path filled with Disney photographers, costumed characters, and of course, families with no idea where they were going. Jostled as they went, Severus found himself jumping out of the way of a motorized wheelchair, while Hermione was clipped by a passing stroller. The couple was forced to stop completely when a man with a mesh, khaki-colored vest and a large black camera hung around his neck practically jumped out in front of them.

"A picture in front of the hat?" the man offered, gesturing to the immense royal blue sorcerer's hat covered in silver moons and stars. The accompanying mouse ears which jutted out from underneath it indicated it belonged to none other than Mickey Mouse.

"Oh, no, thanks," Hermione answered, blocking the camera's lens like a celebrity escaping the press. She had all but side-stepped the photographer before Severus' voice cut through.

"Why not?" he said in what sounded like an attempt at nonchalance.

"Why not?" Hermione echoed less nonchalantly, giving Severus the same look of examination he had given her the night before. Severus only raised an eyebrow in response, gesturing her to move beside him to pose for the picture. "Er, right, why not?" Hermione said, this time with a bit more pep. As they posed, the cameraman squatted down a meter or so away before commanding them to "smile". Hermione nearly laughed out loud imagining Severus sporting a toothy-grin, so her own was one of bemusement. Severus, on the other hand, wore the smile he wore whenever they dined with her parents, his lips nearly in a straight line save for the corners which swooped upward ever so slightly. It was forced and polite.

Peering at the preview image, the cameraman looked slightly amused before assuring the couple, "That's a keeper." Retrieving the card to pick it up at the end of the night, Hermione and Severus continued on their way to The Great Movie Ride. The attraction was housed in a replica of the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, and the queue wrapped around props from several films, ending in front of a large screen showing clips of movies from the 1940s and 1950s.

When it was their turn to board, the couple was ushered into a room which resembled a classic Hollywood set, where their vehicle awaited them. As they were loaded into the vehicle, Hermione noted aloud, "Well, this seems fairly tame." The vehicle was split into the several rows of long benches and attached to a twin. Suddenly, a bell was rung, as if a production was starting, and a young man with a red suit jacket bounded up to the vehicle, jumping into the boxed-off compartment in the front.

"Welcome, folks, to the Great Movie Ride, where we take a trip through some of Hollywood's classic films!" he roared enthusiastically, a thin microphone amplifying his voice. With that, the vehicle eased forward, maintaining a leisurely speed. Passing through a doorway framed by a matinee sign, the group moved into several other rooms depicting famous scenes in film history, such as Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in _Mary Poppins,_ and Gene Kelly in_ Singin' in the Rain._All the while, their tour guide kept a running narration about the scenes they were witnessing. The pace was slow, and the ride without surprise until they arrived at the room honoring gangster films of the 1930s. As the vehicle glided to a stop, a fake shoot-out began between animatronic criminals on both sides of the vehicle. Then a very human gangster appeared out of an abandoned building on the set. As he accosted the tour guide, taking over the tour, Hermione could sense Severus grasping for something.

"No need for your wand," she whispered, leaning into him. "They're only acting."

"Yes, of course," Severus replied sharply, his hand going still. "Just… checking."

The rest of the ride went smoothly, though Hermione often had to explain what was going on, as Severus hadn't seen a film in more than thirty years. No matter, he wasn't scowling as they left, and for Hermione, that was all that counted. They next found themselves waiting outside an outdoor theater to watch the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Hermione had steeled herself for Severus' irritation with the thirty minute wait time, but nothing came. Instead, he simply confiscated the map and began reading through it. _Peculiar behavior indeed, _thought Hermione.

Glancing around, Hermione noted two casually dressed employees scanning the line. They carried clipboards and wore headsets. It seemed they were looking for something in particular, because their eyes would occasionally rest on someone, sparking a discussion and furious pointing at their clipboard. Thus, it was only a minute later that Hermione was caught staring. Blushing slightly, she turned around quickly, hoping to engage Severus in conversation before they walked over. However, it wasn't Hermione who caught their interest.

"Good morning, Sir!" greeted 'Bill', holding his hand out for Severus to shake.

"Good morning," Severus returned with an inclination of his head, confusion gracing his features.

"How would you like to be in a movie?" asked 'Rose' with enthusiasm.

"Excuse me?" asked Severus, a look of confusion taking hold.

"Well, not a real movie, but we need extras for a scene in this show," the female employee explained.

"Oh, no, thank you," Severus declined politely.

"You'll receive priority entrance to an attraction of your choice as a thank you," negotiated the male.

Severus looked as if he were going to decline again, before looking at Hermione. She shrugged in response. "You don't have to do it," she mouthed to him. For some reason this had the opposite effect than Hermione had guessed.

"Yes, okay," he agreed.

"Great!" Bill and Rose exclaimed together. "Just follow us, Sir, and we'll return you to your family afterwards." Severus apprehensively handed Hermione back the map, and followed Bill and Rose. Hermione remained in line, shocked, as she watched Severus Snape disappear around a corner to make his acting debut. 'Peculiar' no longer described his behavior. Had she traveled to the park today with the correct Severus Snape?

Half an hour later, Hermione sat in the center of the outdoor stadium, anxiously staring at the stage. She hadn't heard any commotion, so it seemed Severus had kept his cool up to this point. She hoped desperately that they didn't have him do anything silly, or he would surely whip out his wand. Slowly, fog began to fill the stage, and then the memorable score of _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ began to play. A man dressed as Indiana Jones appeared from the ceiling of the stage, hanging from a rope, and began reenacting the classic scene in which Indy braves several dangerous traps before reaching the golden idol, including spikes piercing the floor and a trap door. After retrieving the idol, he was forced to escape the iconic large boulder rolling towards him. This was followed by a description of the stunts and props involved, but Hermione, for once, could not pay attention to the lecture. She continued to strain her eyes, searching desperately for Severus.

Hermione was rewarded in the next scene. Along with Severus, several other extras were marched on to the stage and introduced. Though she couldn't quite make out his expression, she could only imagine he was less than pleased to be wearing a loose, middle-eastern style cloak in a deep, Gryffindor red. She cheered loudly as the announcer introduced, "Severus from Britain!" From behind, she could hear one person whisper to another, "Is his name really Severus?"

It seemed the role of the extras was to provide the crowd in a busy Cairo market place. In order to practice, they were commanded to demonstrate several dramatic looks, including happy, angry, terrified, and confused. Despite her distance, Hermione could tell Severus' face had only changed a fraction as a new expression was requested. Hermione held back a laugh.

When the scene was ready to shoot, the extras were placed in the marketplace, while a large tumbling mat was rolled out in front of it. The director then shouted, "Action!" and the scene began, with the actors portraying Indy and the female lead running out into the square. They were quickly surrounded by acrobatic bandits, performing flips and wielding swords. All of the extras wore exaggerated expression of shock and horror as they watched the scene unfold, save for Severus. He instead was examining a shirt on the rack of the store where he and the others were placed. When one of his colleagues threw him a look of exasperation at his poor acting, Severus simply picked up a second shirt off the rack and compared the two. All the while bandits had cornered Indy, causing him to scale a building. Hermione smiled. That was her Severus.

After the show, Hermione met Severus at a side entrance as he emerged from the stage. "You were brilliant up there!" she exclaimed as she pulled him into a hug.

"You seem to be the only one who thinks so," Severus replied while wrapping his arms around her as well. Looking away, she caught sight of another extra narrowing his eyes at Severus as he passed. She was pleased to see the extra's eyes widen as he registered Hermione wrapped in Severus' arms.

"No matter," Hermione said, turning to smile up at Severus again, "I thought you were wonderful. That's all that matters, isn't it?" She added the last bit with a cheeky smile.

"As far as I'm concerned," Severus agreed, and the couple leaned into each other for a lingering kiss.

* * *

><p><em>Why did I agree to this? <em>This question had wracked Severus' brain as he went through the motions, standing on stage and playing the role of an extra. If asked, he would acknowledge that he had been uncharacteristically agreeable. He would also admit that it was due to his underlying desire to please Hermione. His reputation as a stubborn, morose, and sometimes cruel man preceded him, but she had proven herself worthy so many times before. He would try for her and her alone, for once.

Volunteering to parade around on stage for an audience's amusement, however, went far beyond the pale. Pressed even further, Severus might admit that he had taken her look of disbelief when he was offered the part as a challenge to prove her wrong, stirring his competitive nature. He was, however, more apt to admit that he had possibly suffered an aneurysm.

As the couple made their way to the next attraction, Hermione asked, "So, what shall we use our priority entrance for?" Severus shrugged, unsure of what he wanted to do next. Honestly, he had found everything on the map to be lacking.

"How about this?" Hermione suggested, pointing to the Star Tours simulator ride as they passed. Noting the space adventure theming, Severus shook his head.

"I'm not much for science fiction."

Next, they walked through a full-scale New York City backdrop before passing into the back of the park.

"The Studio Backlot Tour?" Hermione inquired hopefully. Severus considered the ride for a second, before once again declining.

Arriving in Pixar Place, the couple paused once more. "Toy Story Midway Mania?" Hermione asked, though she clearly sounded as if she doubted he would respond positively. Severus gave the place a calculating look.

"What is it again?" he asked. A look of relief spread across Hermione's face as she read the description from the map.

"Well, it's a bit like laser tag." Noticing his look of confusion she continued, "We ride in a vehicle and play carnival games using a laser cannon." _Well, that doesn't sound amusing,_Severus thought frankly. He was about to voice this opinion too, but caught sight of Hermione's already disappointed face and relented.

"Sounds fine," he responded, and Hermione smiled, looking very much relieved. The queue for Toy Story Midway Mania was the most interesting they had encountered yet. It was lined with replicas of toys and games. While many were completely foreign to Severus, Hermione recognized quite a few, explaining them to Severus as they went. When they reached the end of the queue, they were each given a pair of 3-D glasses.

The ride vehicle this time was small and painted in white with red and blue detailing. It had two rows of seats which sat back to back, separated by a high backboard. Attached on both sides of the vehicle was a pair of multi-colored, plastic, miniature cannons.

"Okay," said the attendant after Severus and Hermione were seated, "you can go ahead and put on your 3-D glasses." Placing his pair on, Severus noted no difference in his vision, and was concerned something might be wrong. Before he could ask Hermione, however, they were launched into the next room. It was dark save for glowing screens, which were lined up in rows at its center. Adjusting to the lighting, Severus was taken by surprise as the vehicle spun in a circle and faced one of the glowing screens.

"So the goal here," Hermione instructed in a hurried voice, "is to aim your cannon at those balloons and pop more than me." Severus glanced up at the screen with a puzzled expression before registering that that it actually displayed images of balloons aligned in rows, the image enhanced by the 3-D glasses. Aiming his cannon gingerly and pressing the button on its handle, he watched as a dart appeared on the screen, piercing the balloon at which Severus had aimed. Getting the hang of it, Severus began shooting his cannon in earnest, trying hurriedly to catch up with Hermione, who had taken to the game quite easily. Alas, their turn ended soon after he started, and the car moved along the line swiftly, rotating positions with a sharp turn once again.

Peering down at the digital scoreboard located between their cannons, Severus saw the large disparity between their points. _This won't do, _Severus thought, and entered the next round with deep concentration. The game which appeared on the screen was an egg throwing game, aimed at a large board. Different sections indicated different point gains. Right off the bat, Severus began shooting, aiming for the larger point gains towards the back of the back of the board. Beside him, Hermione too was facing the screen with a similar intensity.

At the end of two more rounds, their points were tied, leaving the fifth and final game as the tie-breaker. Severus' eyes barely left the screen as the final game appeared. This one was traditional ring-toss, though like the others, was operated through the use of the cannon. Firing off rings as quickly as he could, Severus abandoned his strategy of aiming for only high point gains and began moving the cannon back and forth rapidly, hoping to simply land as many as he could in the given time frame. He was so focused that he wouldn't even look down to see the scoreboard until the game was over.

"I beat you by one thousand points!" Hermione boasted once the ride ended and they had exited the building.

"Had I gotten my bearings early on, you would have had no such luck," Severus protested, sounding a bit more childish than he intended.

"A pity we can't go on again, then," Hermione teased, though she did look as if she'd like another go. "Oh, but the line is an hour, it certainly isn't worth that."

"No, I suppose not," Severus conceded, despite considering it for a second.

Giving him a strange look, Hermione asked, "You liked it, didn't you?"

"It was… interesting," Severus allowed, but Hermione was already bounding beside him slightly.

"You actually liked that!" she exclaimed.

"Well, not that much," Severus said, crossing his arms defensively.

"Oh, don't worry," Hermione cooed as she pulled one of his arms from his chest and held on to it. "I won't reveal to a soul that you've actually enjoyed something. At Disney World, no less."

Severus scowled, but was secretly pleased. He really hadn't had that much fun in a while. There were just some things he would not admit to, however.

* * *

><p>Severus and Hermione left the park shortly after their spin on Toy Story Midway Mania. Although Severus was still in better moods than he had been the day before, there was only so much adventure he could handle in one day without necessity, and quite frankly, he wasn't in any hurry for Hermione to see him clutching his seat in fear on the endlessly dropping Tower of Terror, nor did he think the sound of loud rock n' roll music would soothe his nerves through the loops and corkscrews of the Rock 'n' Rollercoaster. Hermione had pointed out the Beauty and the Beast show so hopefully that he had considered it for a second, but decided he had simply had enough of show business for one day. Thus the couple exited Hollywood Studios hand in hand, both feeling as if the day had been a success.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Thank you again to my wonderful beta Justine 34. Also, if you like this chapter, if you hate it, or are even indifferent, **please review!** I would love to get more feedback!  
>Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is not mine.<p>

* * *

><p>The Florida heat had reached its zenith outside by the time Hermione and Severus had trudged back to their hotel room, both looking quite mussed with beads of sweat gathered at their brows. Without discussion, the couple threw themselves down on their king-size bed, lying atop the bedding, side by side, falling into a restful sleep immediately. Hours later, after awaking from their naps and going out for a light dinner, the couple returned to their hotel room. While Severus was ready to call it a night, Hermione was still stirring.<p>

"Why don't we take a stroll on the nature trail?" Hermione suggested. "With the sun setting it shouldn't be too brutal out there. And you always enjoy a walk in the park."

"You make me sound like dog," Severus retorted, stretching out on the bed. It was actually true that Severus enjoyed strolls, but it had been quite a long day.

"Oh, don't dismiss it so quickly," Hermione coaxed. "It might be nice. You know… a quiet walk through the woods…with all those wonderful shadows to hide away in…"

Severus sat up slightly at the tone of seduction in her voice. _It couldn't hurt_, Severus reasoned to himself as he considered Hermione and all the possible opportunities. Instead of verbally agreeing, he let out a defeated sigh. With a gleeful smile, Hermione graced him with a kiss on the cheek, and the pair pulled on their trainers before venturing out of their hotel room once again.

The setting sun had indeed created some opportunistic shadows, and Severus was careful to note each and every one of them as they strolled down the dirt path which comprised the nature trail. All around them large pines arched above, dressed in curled moss and skirted by dwarfed shrubs and scraggly palm trees. Unfortunately, each of Severus' planned attempts at whisking Hermione into the shadows was interrupted by passing joggers or a random biker. He would just have to be satisfied with holding hands, and "accidentally" bumping into each other. _Merlin, we're like adolescents,_he thought with embarrassment as Hermione grinned up at him. But with the way her eyes lit up, he wasn't sure he minded.

"You know, my parents met while camping. In the Forest of Dean, actually," Hermione said conversationally as another set of joggers pounded by, clearly sweating from their exertion.

"Do all of your important life events occur there?" Severus asked sardonically. Recognizing his reference, Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Yes, well, that's how it came to mind while Harry, Ron and I were on the run. My parents and I used to camp there every year."

"I never took your parents for naturalists," Severus said with a snort, imagining her bookish, germaphobic parents huddled in a tent.

"Oh, no, they most certainly are not," Hermione agreed readily. "Actually, they bonded over their mutual dislike for the outdoors. Growing up, we would take trips out there in honor of where they met, but they could never last more than one night before we were driving in search of the comfort of a proper bed-and-breakfast."

"What a way to meet," Snape commented.

"Well, the way we met is a bit bizarre, too," Hermione pointed out, nudging him playfully.

"You mean in the classroom as teacher and student? I think the word you were searching for was perverse."

"No! You know what I mean," Hermione exclaimed, nudging him a little harder this time. "When we met in a friendly, collegial sense."

Severus smirked slightly. "Oh, you mean when you bowled me over in that bookstore five years ago? I'm not sure how that's much better."

"Well, it's not illegal, first of all," Hermione replied with a laugh. "And, I don't know, it's quite telling of our personalities. You know our matching thirst for knowledge."

"Thirst? My dear, I believe yours is more of a violent compulsion."

"Hey! I was looking for that book for weeks!" Hermione argued. "It was the only copy left in the city, and I'm sure you had connections elsewhere." Severus could only roll his eyes.

"I was a spy, not a small-time gangster. The only black market I'm aware of is the one where I buy my clothing."

Hermione gave him a dubious look but said, "Touché. Anyway, if I hadn't knocked you down, I don't know how else I would have gotten up the nerve to invite you to tea that day."

"Oh, I'm sure you could have come up with other violent means," Severus jibed with a smirk. Hermione huffed slightly and raised her hand to give him a playful slap, but instead found herself yanked against Severus' chest. _How does this man always manage to catch me off-guard?_

Still smirking, Severus released her hand in favor of tipping her head up and moving to capture her lips with his own. As his arms moved to enclose her waist, and her own snaked around his neck, they were disturbed by the sound of sniffling. Hermione moved sharply, seeking the source of the sound, while Severus irritably found himself kissing her cheek. _Perhaps if I just …_Severus thought as he trailed his lips along her jaw line. But Hermione's curiosity could not be quelled, and Severus soon found himself holding back a groan of frustration as Hermione ventured over to a nearby palm.

"Oh, hello there," Hermione said softly as she parted the palm's branches. Arriving behind her, Severus' eyes fell upon a small boy with reddened, tear-stained cheeks. It took him a few moments to recognize him as the auburn-haired boy who had pelted him with the Quaffle while waiting for the Portkey several days before. Despite his general and indiscriminate distaste for anyone under the age of eighteen, he was disgusted to find himself feeling sympathy for the same twit who had nearly dislocated his kneecap.

Hermione crouched down to eye-level with the boy, who was too timid to make eye contact. "Are you lost?" she asked delicately, careful not to frighten him. The boy looked at her and wore a look of relief, until his gaze shifted up to Severus. Noticing the boy's renewed panic, Hermione motioned to Severus to join her on the ground, something he did with an eye-roll.

"You're from Britain, too, aren't you?" Hermione continued. "You're a wizard?" The boy nodded silently, training his eyes on her, though they lingered towards Severus every now and then.

"Well, don't worry," Hermione assured him. "We'll get you back to your family safe and sound, won't we, Severus?" Severus simply grunted and attempted to not to look too terrifying, a rather difficult feat. Sniffling slightly, the boy nodded again, standing up and dusting himself off. Hermione and Severus followed. Looking unsure, the boy reached up to take Hermione's hand. As his little fingers wrapped around Hermione's larger ones, she gave him a tender smile before turning her head to share it with Severus. Severus simply grunted again and motioned for them to move forward.

As they walked along the trail, Hermione attempted to engage the auburn-haired boy in conversation. What was his name? Where in Britain was he from? Where did he last see his family? Each question hung unanswered as the boy stared down at the ground, silent tears still streaming down his cheeks. The only comfort was that he still gripped her hand tightly as they walked.

Seeing Hermione's increasing discomfort, Severus gave it a try.

"Are you Quidditch fan?" he asked half-heartedly. The boy looked up slightly at Severus, but then bowed his head down once more.

"Well, you must be," Severus continued. "You nearly took my leg off with that Quaffle of yours." He tried to gentle his voice, but it came out as a raspy whisper, sounding more threatening than he intended. However, the boy looked up once again, and seemed to see no malice because he finally answered a question.

"I like Puddlemere United," he said quietly. Hermione swiftly caught Severus' gaze and gave him a look that urged him to keep going.

"Oh, a fine team they are," Severus responded awkwardly. He honestly didn't have the faintest idea about Quidditch; he barely even paid attention at Hogwarts, just glanced at the scoreboard to see if he'd won the pot.

"So, what do you think of their chances next season?" he asked the boy, fishing deep into his shallow reservoir of knowledge. This seemed to do the trick; the boy was animated now, listing statistics, calling out players names. Severus did his best to look interested, wearing a look that Hermione might recognize from when she waxed poetic about house-elf rights and the finer points of Jane Austen. She didn't seem to mind, though, if her beaming smile was any indication.

The trio soon found themselves out of the woods and on the beach of Bay Lake, the body of water on which the Wilderness Lodge sat. Suddenly, the boy let out a whoop, and unceremoniously dropped Hermione's hand as he ran towards the beach. Reaching a distraught couple, the boy threw his arms around the woman, who gave a "oh" of surprise before wrapping her son into a tight hug. The dad ruffled the boy's hair and gave a wave to Hermione and Severus, who were now approaching.

"Thank you so much for finding Daniel," Daniel's father said, shaking their hands gratefully. "We lost track of him somewhere along the trail."

"It was our pleasure," Hermione gushed, though Severus looked as if he thought otherwise. "We're just glad to have found you." The mother looked up at them, still hugging her son closely.

"Wait, are you two…?" she asked as her look of recognition morphed into shock.

"Just good Samaritans," Severus replied, a little sarcastically. The mother smiled and returned to whispering comforting words into Daniel's ear.

As Severus and Hermione walked away from the family, they paused on the beach to stare out into the lake. Several families were assembled there, sitting on beach towels and chairs.

"So, what's happened to Severus Snape, the most feared, evil, and snarky teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Hermione asked with amusement, staring up at her man. Severus chose to simply shrug noncommittally, training his eyes on the cresting waves of the lake. At the moment, he felt a little uncomfortable with the admiring looks Hermione kept throwing him. _I was just trying to help Hermione, that's all,_ he told himself. _It doesn't mean I'm cut out for anything except being a curmudgeonly old bastard_.

Hermione appeared to have more to say on the subject, but before she could, they both caught sight of shimmering lights, which were floating through the bay towards them. As the lights moved closer, it became clear that they were lighted floats in the shapes of various sea creatures, such as sea horses and dolphins. All around them, the gasps and cheers of children could be heard as their figures became evident. Calypso music accompanied the water parade's progress, as more creatures, mythical and otherwise, were revealed. Her eyes glittering as brightly as the floats, Hermione sighed, leaning her head on Severus' shoulder. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Severus moved his head against hers, enjoying their moment of peace.

* * *

><p>For the first time that week, Severus awoke before Hermione. He wasn't pleasantly woken by the tickle of Hermione's curls, or a sweet whisper or caress. No, it was the sudden lack of oxygen as his heart began to race uncontrollably, as well as the disgusting feeling of sweat soaking his pajamas. In short, it was a panic attack. The stoic Severus Snape was awoken by a panic attack. To be more specific, it was a panic attack spurred by perhaps one of his worst nightmares to date. It wasn't, as one might first guess, one involving gigantic serpents, a nose-less master with slit, red eyes, a dying love, or even a poisoned lemon drop out of Albus Dumbledore's prized candy dish. This one was oddly… domestic.<p>

The dream began with Severus arriving at his home in Spinner's End, a home he had not occupied since he had moved into Hermione's flat. It was perfectly ordinary, just as dilapidated as he remembered it, and nothing occurred to raise Severus' suspicions. He placed his traveling cloak on the rack by the door, and made his way to the kitchen to prepare a cup of tea. That was when things began to seem off. For one, the normally mildewed kitchen had been scrubbed clean, the rusty pots now had a metallic sheen, and there seemed to be food, actual food, cooking on the stove. And then there was Hermione. Looking much like she did in real life, her hair twisted in a knot behind her head, she hummed as she stirred one of the pots on the stove.

"Hermione?" Severus asked tentatively, surprised to find her in his childhood home.

"Severus! You're home!" she nearly sang, her voice hitting an unnatural pitch as she turned towards him. That was when he saw it; underneath the white apron and the rather dumpy, off-green dress, was a very large and very obvious, baby bump.

"You're, you're pregnant?" Severus stuttered incredulously, feeling a nervous bead of sweat slide down his neck.

"Of course I am!" Hermione said rather shrilly, her voice taking on that rather sing-song quality once again. "You should know, you were there, silly!" Severus cringed. That was rather crude for Hermione.

"And... you're cooking?" Severus asked, watching his culinary-challenged wife sprinkle some salt over the pot before taking a tasting sip. "You hate cooking!"

"Well, I very well had to get over that, didn't I?" she replied, taking on a sterner tone. "After all, someone has to feed our brood." Before Severus could ask what on earth she was referring to, he heard what sounded like herd of centaurs clunking down the hall, the sound growing closer and closer until the door of the kitchen slammed open. That was when Severus first felt his chest constrict. Five (FIVE!) children stood before him, all differing heights, but all with one face- his. Most disturbingly, even the girls shared his Snape-ish features, including his morning stubble. However, it wasn't until the smaller Snapes began to crawl on top of him, all chirping "Daddy, Daddy," that Severus truly began to feel the pressure. In the dream he thought it might have been one of the children, strangling him as they sought to climb further on top of him, but when he awoke, gasping for air, it became clear that he had simply been scared.

"Severus?" Hermione asked groggily, waking up.

"It's nothing, go back to sleep," Severus directed weakly, trying to calm himself. Hermione shifted under the covers, reaching over to take his hand.

"You're burning up," Hermione gasped, feeling the heat radiating from his body. "Are you feeling ill? I could run down to the gift shop. The medicine's Muggle, but I'm sure-"

"That won't be necessary," Severus said, effectively cutting Hermione off. "I … I just need a cold shower." With that, Severus extricated himself from the bed and slipped into the bathroom, shutting the door quickly behind him. Hermione, left to wonder what could possibly be wrong, began to drift off to sleep once more when a brisk knock came at the door. Rising from the bed in a post-doze haze, and slipping on a dressing gown over her shoulders, Hermione opened the door to reveal Lynne, smiling as usual, with two round boxes in hand.

"Sorry to wake you, Hermione, but I didn't want to send you off to your character breakfast without these." Hermione peered at the boxes curiously before realization spurred her sleepy mind.

"Oh, the hats! Thank you, Lynne! I had completely forgotten." Accepting both the boxes and the whispered wish of good luck, Hermione shut the door and returned to bed. Sitting in the middle of it, with the two boxes in front of her, Hermione carefully removed the lids to reveal a silk-lined interior, cushioning two black, polyester hats. On top of each sat two pairs of round, plastic ears. Picking up one hat for closer examination, Hermione noted that the front was marked with a red and white patch with Mickey Mouse at the center, and the back had Hermione written in wispy cursive letters with gold thread. Brimming with excitement, Hermione jammed hers on, carelessly pulling the attached elastic strap under her chin. As a result, the strap snapped back, assaulting Hermione.

"Ouch!" Hermione bit out, forgetting to keep her voice down. Right at that moment, Severus emerged from the bathroom, looking far more relaxed, a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Well, I hope whatever you've packed for me to wear today lacks palm trees. I'm completely sick of..." Severus paused as he stared at Hermione, or rather, what was on her head. "What _is _that?"

Taking a fortifying breath, Hermione explained, "They're Mickey ears."

"People dress up like that rodent?" Severus asked with obvious disgust. Catching sight of the second box, he muttered, "And you want me to as well."

"Just try them on," Hermione said, patting a spot on the bed next to her. Growling, Severus joined her. Hermione then took his hat out of the box and placed it on his head, careful not to snap the elastic strap this time. As he turned towards her, Hermione briefly considered stuffing her fist in her mouth to prevent the uproarious laughter bubbling. Severus looked like the oldest, snarkiest, most displeased member the Mickey Mouse Club she had ever seen.

"I look foolish, don't I?" Severus asked through gritted teeth.

Biting her cheeks to keep from smiling, Hermione said, "No, no, you look…" But she couldn't finish, and a snort escaped her. Severus went to stand, but before he could stomp off, Hermione pulled him down by his shoulder.

"Well, I'm glad I'm so amusing," Severus muttered. His anger ebbed slightly as Hermione caressed his cheek.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized, smiling. "Look, I know this is the umpteenth time I've said this, but you really have been terribly understanding this whole trip. Besides, what I was going to say is that you look cute." At his stony look, she said, "I mean, broodingly handsome." He harrumphed in response, but before he could protest further, she had leaned in for a kiss. Though surprised at first, Severus quickly placed his hands behind her head, pulling her closer, while Hermione's hands ghosted down his chest. As the kiss deepened, her hands slid lower and lower, until he was vaguely aware of their proximity to his toweled waist. Instead of arousing him, however, this awareness caused him to push her away, stumbling off the bed, all the while holding his towel firmly in place.

Look slightly dazed, Hermione asked, "What's wrong?" Severus looked at her, her hair tousled and her lips delicately red from their kiss, and all he could see were the five Snape children, yelling and crawling.

"We should be getting ready, right? For breakfast?" Severus asked desperately, grasping for an explanation outside of the truth.

"Uh, yes, I suppose we should," Hermione replied, unsure if she should be offended. Taking off her Mickey ears, Hermione threw Severus another puzzled look before going into the bathroom to get ready. Sighing, Snape took off his own hat and placed it beside him on the bed, unsure of what the day would bring.

* * *

><p>Severus was relieved to see Hermione was not treating him strangely after he practically ran from her, mid-snog. Though she did keep looking up at him, there was no sign that she felt the need to have him committed to some mental institution. For his own part, Severus tried to remain calm as they walked through the sea of people separating them from the entrance of the Magic Kingdom. Every now and then, he would still twitch slightly as he caught sight of a child with shoulder-length black hair, but could breathe again once they were revealed to be lacking his other features.<p>

Reaching the front of the crowd, a greeter in a simple light blue shirt and khaki shorts allowed them past the rope, as their breakfast reservations were prior to official park opening. Walking through the tunnel underneath the iconic Main Street Railroad Station, Severus noted that Hermione had been unusually quiet this entire morning, and started to wonder whether he was wrong about her reaction to this morning's earlier debacle. Then they entered Town Square of Main Street U.S.A , and the reason for Hermione's unusual silence was made clear.

Idyllic was the first word that came to mind as Severus stared down the deserted road known as Main Street U.S.A. Lining the street were turn-of-the-century, multi-storied shops trimmed in white with colorful window displays and quaint advertisements written in gold. The sidewalks were dotted with freshly-trimmed trees and forest green lampposts, and even the red sidewalks and the asphalt road look brand new, without even a stray gum wrapper tarnishing them. As they passed, shop employees would lean out of the buildings, greeting them with smiles and enthusiastic waves. And then there was Cinderella's Castle, with its silver stone towers, blue turrets, and a large iron gate, which stood majestically at the end of the street. Looking over at Hermione, Severus could see her eyes were wet with actual tears. Feeling her excitement, Severus took her hand as they walked down Main Street to their destination, the Crystal Palace.

Not unlike the rest of Main Street, the Crystal Palace was pristine, with its creamy white exterior, outlined by small columns. The building was topped by three large glass domes, the most ornate of the three at the building's center. The large glass windows which surrounded the building gave it a true feeling of being "crystal." Stepping inside, the couple found themselves taken aback by the elegance of the restaurant. Despite their fellow diners, who all seemed to be wearing their most ragged beachwear, the white interior, complete with hanging, orbed lights, black wrought iron chairs and detailed floral arrangements (including a Winnie the Pooh topiary), gave the restaurant a light and airy feel.

Seated near the buffet, Severus felt relaxed for the first time that morning. The food was served buffet-style with a wide variety of hearty breakfast choices which reminded him a traditional English breakfast, except without the black pudding. The early morning crowd was quiet, save for a few squealing kids, as the costumed characters approached.

Looking up from her plate, Hermione commented, "You seem a lot more relaxed than you did earlier this morning."

"Just needed breakfast, I guess," Severus replied before taking another bite of sausage. Hermione smiled, but then her eyes widened.

"Well, just remember that relaxed feeling," she offered. Wondering what she was going on about, Severus turned in his seat to see the approach of not one, but a gang of costumed characters. Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet were all ambling towards their table at a frightening pace.

"You have got to be kidding me," Severus groaned. Hermione only shrugged in response before digging frantically in her handbag. Before the group arrived, she had unearthed a Muggle camera, a small notepad, and a large black marker. Eyeing the items before him, Severus elected to simply shake his head instead of verbally expressing his thoughts on the issue. Suddenly, a shadow descended on the table as four figures surrounded it. Severus looked up to see the very large, furry faces of the Hundred Acre Wood.

_Well, this isn't very conducive to digestion,_Severus thought as he watched Hermione cavort with the hulking creatures, sharing hugs, asking for autographs, demanding Severus photograph evidence of her obvious mental breakdown. Not that he got away with simply observing. He too was pulled into a literal bear hug as the tiger hopped around behind him, making bunny ears behind his head while Hermione snapped picture after picture. Severus began to imagine the many possibilities available for him to "accidentally" destroy the camera as flash after flash occurred.

Once the characters had finally left the table, the couple settled down for their last cups of coffee before continuing the rest of their day in the park. However, a commotion in another corner of the restaurant distracted them once more. A man, clad in blue athletic shorts, a tie-dye shirt, and even worse, a hat outfitted to look like the rear end of Donald Duck, had gotten down on one knee and proposed marriage to his dining companion, whose outfit matched his save for her plastic, silver crown lined with pink feathers.

"Could they look any more ridiculous?" Severus scoffed, watching the women accept the proposal and wrap her arms around the man in a loving embrace.

"I wouldn't want to know how," Hermione said with a small laugh, though she sobered after a moment. "Although, it is kind of sweet when two people find each other and live happily ever after."

Severus wondered if the room had suddenly gotten warmer, as he felt himself start to perspire slightly. Looking over to see if Hermione had noticed, he found her still eyeing the couple with what he could only describe as a look of longing as they held hands across the table, the woman still admiring her ring.

However, Severus couldn't concentrate on the subject much further, as the costumed characters had returned to the room, pulling children out of their seats as they went. Then, with much fanfare, they all formed a line with the children, parading through the restaurant. Severus' usual irritation was overcome by the creeping increase of his heart beat as the line of children and characters neared his table. This was because the closer they got, the more and more the children looked like the children in his dream, and that is to say, like him. He felt himself starting to descend once again into panic, and stood abruptly from the table.

"Could you settle things up?" Severus asked, almost gasping, after leaving his wallet on the table. Hermione asked him something, perhaps if he was okay, but he just couldn't hear it over the pounding blood in his ears. Weaving through the tables, he nearly ran out of the restaurant, taking a deep breath of fresh air once outside.

Rubbing his face slightly, Severus growled in frustration, "This is bloody ridiculous!" As he waited for Hermione to join him, he couldn't help but wonder what the bloody hell was wrong with him today.

"Well, that was cute ride," Hermione said as the couple exited the darkened, drafty halls of the Haunted Mansion.

"Cute," Severus echoed blankly. Looking over at Severus, Hermione noted that he looked, for lack of a better word, spooked. It wasn't due to the Haunted Mansion itself; the name was a bit of a misnomer, with a more fun and festive feel than a legitimate haunted house. Anyway, he had much the same look when the skipper had cracked a joke about him on the Jungle Cruise, when they had watched animatronic pirates pillage and plunder on Pirates of the Caribbean, and even when they were thrown up and down by the spirited train on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. She had briefly considered taking him on Splash Mountain, if only because the eighty foot drop and wall of accompanying water might wake him out of his funk, but she wasn't sure what version of Severus would appear immediately afterwards. Instead, she had elected to bring him to the Haunted Mansion, where she hoped the dim lighting and the dank surroundings might at least remind him of his old home and shake him out of this mood. Apparently, no such luck.

Finding themselves in Fantasyland, Hermione was at a loss. It was true that she could continue to drag Severus on rides, while he continued to have no reaction to the madness that was occurring around him, but she was starting to find that even a scathing response was better than no response at all. She wanted her Severus back. As she scanned the area, looking for some ride which might do the trick, she spotted a carousel. This has to work, she thought brightly, considering the commotion he would put up at being forced to ride a plastic horse among five year-olds.

Pulling him slightly by the hand, she exclaimed, "Look, Severus, a carousel! Wouldn't that be fun?" Severus simply nodded, following her obediently. Finally pushed to the edge, Hermione pulled him aside.

"Severus, you need to tell me what's wrong," she pleaded, trying to catch his eye. "Clearly you're upset, or sick, or something, but I can't help you if you don't tell me!"

"It's nothing," Severus muttered, purposely looking elsewhere.

"Don't lie to me! Severus, you just agreed to ride a carousel!"

"It's of little importance," Severus said, starting to walk towards the carousel once more.

"No! There's a reason, and I want to know right now!" Hermione watched as Severus, for the first time since breakfast, truly reacted to something. His face darkened and his eyes narrowed as he walked back to where Hermione was standing.

"Well, isn't this what you wanted? For me to just follow you around like a dog?" Severus accused, leaning towards her aggressively.

"Of course not! Why would I want that?" Hermione responded, looking slightly taken aback by the accusation.

"Then why did you drag me here, Hermione? You knew I didn't want to come here."

"You didn't have to; I didn't make you do anything." Severus let out a dangerous laugh at this.

"So, it wasn't all just some plan? Dragging me here, forcing me to participate in these childish activities."

"Severus," Hermione said in a low, calming voice in response to his raised one, "there is no plan. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do," Severus said as his voice continued to get louder. "You thought you could take me here and fix my childhood. Then, I would be eager to marry you, right? Give you a family?"

"Severus…" Hermione said cautiously, trying to get control of the conversation.

"Well, look at me!" he shouted, gaining the attention of others passing by. "I'm not Prince Charming, am I? All of your little fantasies and childish dreams, you can have them."

"I don't understand where this is all coming from," Hermione pleaded.

"Then I guess you don't understand me at all." With that petulant statement, Severus walked off, leaving behind a confused Hermione, tears running down her cheeks. When he had gone so far into the crowd she could no longer see him, she peered around, realizing again where she was. Other guests were whispering to each other, mostly likely discussing the argument they just saw. Sniffling, Hermione wiped the tears from her cheeks and hurried off, completely unsure of where she was going, but positive that she needed to get out of there.

* * *

><p>Severus broodingly stared out over Bay Lake as he rode the water taxi back to the resort. His mind was jumbled with dozens of thoughts at the moment, all conflicting. One, however, seemed to scream loudly enough to be heard clearly. <em>You are a complete and utter jackass, Severus Snape.<em>If Hermione wasn't going to say it, he would. Perhaps after all of these years of going out of his way to prove he wasn't a coward, he had finally found a way to prove his detractors right.

Severus had been so caught up in berating himself that he hadn't noticed that his fellow passengers were in fact the couple from breakfast. Still beaming, they were in the middle of animatedly retelling the proposal story to the boat's skipper when Severus finally took note. Oddly enough, it was only a minute later that, almost magically, the soon-to-be groom had somehow flipped over the railing and fallen into the murky waters of Bay Lake. Though easily rescued, the whole thing seemed strange, especially since he hadn't even been leaning on the rail.

While Severus watched as the man was pulled out of the water, he couldn't help but think that he felt a little better.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: We have arrived at the final chapter, so thank you for reading! Thank you especially to my lovely beta Justine 34 for all of her help and encouragement. If you have a moment, **please review!** I would really appreciate the feedback!  
>Disclaimer: Anything you recognize is not mine.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Could this music be any louder?<em>Hermione thought to herself bitterly, as an upbeat, carnival-like cadence followed her through Fantasyland. She still wasn't sure where she was going; she only knew that she couldn't go back to the hotel room. There was no reasoning with Severus when he was this angry, especially about something so unreasonable. She just needed to go somewhere quiet, empty, and calm. As children ran by with melting ice cream cones and parents pushed prams of screaming toddlers, Hermione found herself continually dodging groups, trying desperately to find somewhere, anywhere, that wasn't so crowded. Her tears had dried, but there was certainly a reservoir ready to spill.

Turning a corner, she was relieved to hear the music had at least changed, indicating her exit from Fantasyland. Unsure of where to go next, Hermione spotted an employee slipping behind a tall bush. Curious, Hermione walked over and peeked around the wall of foliage. There she found an empty, covered walkway with a few benches. _Well, it wouldn't be the first time I went down a forbidden hallway._With that comforting thought, Hermione slipped behind the bush and cautiously walked over to one of the benches. Assured she wouldn't be caught, or even noticed, Hermione sat down and started to cry in earnest, pulling her knees to her chest, her wayward curls covering her eyes.

Losing track of time, Hermione wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there before her tears were finally spent. Sitting up and wiping her swollen eyes, Hermione sniffled slightly as she considered her unresolved dilemma. _Was everything Severus said right?_In all of her crying, she still hadn't answered that question. She knew that she had consciously made a decision to try to give him the childhood that he had never had- even more, to make up for it. But, had it all been in ploy to get him down the aisle?

_Well, that's patently untrue!_Hermione thought angrily. The thought of marriage hadn't even crossed her mind. Sighing outwardly, Hermione remembered the breakfast proposal. Perhaps that was what had rattled him. He had seemed more off-balance after that.

"Wouldn't have a light, would you?" Hermione was startled from her thoughts by a high voice with a familiar accent. Looking up at the speaker, Hermione could only stutter.

"Um, are you _Cinderella_?" The young women standing before her wore a light blue ball gown, a black silk choker, and her blond hair sat in an elegant twist on top of her head. She wore a single white, elbow-length glove on her left hand, while twirling an unlit cigarette with her naked right.

"Haven't been working here very long, have you?" Cinderella commented, before her eyes widened with recognition.

"Why, you're Hermione Granger!" she gasped out, shock filling the features of her heavily painted face.

"Do I know you?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"No," Cinderella said, taking a seat next to Hermione on the bench, her cigarette forgotten. "Or, at least, I don't think you remember me. But I remember you! You were the prefect who led me to my dorm on my first day at Hogwarts. And, well, all of that defeating the Dark Lord stuff, too."

Hermione eyed the younger women carefully. "So, you're-"

"A witch!" Cinderella finished brightly. Caught off-guard by the enthusiasm with which she answered, Hermione whipped her head around quickly to make sure no others were in the hallway.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Cinderella said with smile, noting Hermione's unease. "We talk about so many crazy things here, who's to say what's real anyway? Actually, there's quite a few of us magical folk here. I'm Anna, by the way." With that, she offered her an ungloved hand to shake.

"You mean, working for Disney?" Hermione asked, shaking Anna's hand.

"Oh, yeah," Anna replied confidently, covertly fishing out her wand from her costume and lighting her cigarette. After taking a long drag, she continued. "A lot of them came during the First War. Emigrated to escape the violence, and took up settlement here. The weather's fantastic, plus the Muggles were quite impressed with the amazing tricks they could do." Anna let out an indelicate snort at this.

"So, they don't know that it's real?" Hermione asked.

"Of course not!" Anna replied after taking another drag. "Could you imagine what they'd have us doing if they knew that we were really doing magic? No, we just give them a little nudge here and there. So, what brings you here, Hermione Granger?"

Feeling quite embarrassed to be caught in such a position, with her eyes red and swollen, Hermione simply said, "Oh, you know, holiday."

"Hmm," Anna nodded with agreement, her cigarette's acrid smell engulfing them. Giving her a thorough look over, she commented, "You know, you're not looking very well."

Letting out a humorless laugh, Hermione sighed. "Well, truthfully, I came here on holiday with someone, and we've just had a spectacular row, probably rivaling one of the stage productions here."

"Did you end up with Ronald Weasley, then?" Anna asked casually. Shrugging at Hermione's suspicious look, she continued, "What? I read the papers while I was at Hogwarts."

"No," Hermione replied with a slight laugh. "Any romance with Ron was short-lived. Actually, I'm here with Severus Snape. I'm not sure you remember him, he was-"

"The spy who double-crossed Voldemort to help save Harry Potter and honor his unrequited love for Harry Potter's mother-"

"- and your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for at least one year, if not also you headmaster for another," Hermione finished with amusement.

"Yes, those things, too," Anna agreed sheepishly. "Hmm, so is he the brooding romantic the papers made him out to be?"

"Well, brooding, yes," Hermione admitted, "but romantic, well…untraditionally so."

"So, what'd you two fight about anyway?" Anna asked, putting out her cigarette, much to Hermione's relief. "Tried to make him wear something that wasn't black?"

"Ha," Hermione replied dryly. "As a matter of fact, that was one of the fights. This whole trip was a fight, but he gave in. Merlin, and I was forcing him the entire time." This last bit was muttered to herself. "But, you know, that wasn't even the entirety of his accusations. He kept going on about me forcing him down the aisle."

"Interesting," Anna mused, her legs sprawled out before her in a very un-princess-like manner. "Well, are you?"

"That's the thing, I don't know. I mean, I want to marry him, but I've always told myself that I was fine the way things are. Though, I guess I thought if he could see that we didn't have to be like his parents maybe he would…" Hermione went silent, feeling possibly the dumbest she had ever felt. Perhaps the trip wasn't all one big ploy, but her actions might not have been completely selfless. Slumping down slightly on the bench, she felt like hiding. _Merlin, I'm a jackass_, she thought.

"You know," Anna said, giving Hermione a considering look, "you don't really seem like, well a 'Cinderella'." Eyeing Anna, Hermione wondered what that possibly had to do with anything.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked carefully.

"I suppose what I mean is, you're more…assertive. You wouldn't just sit there and wait for your prince to go around to every house, shoving a glass slipper on every foot until he found you. You would just go up to him and say, 'I'm Cinderella, take it or leave it'." Anna had puffed up slightly while saying the last part, her hands on her hips and her back straight. Hermione let out a slight giggle.

"So, I guess what you're telling me is that instead of going around, trying to secretly persuade him into marriage, I should just march up to him and declare, 'I want to get married, take it or leave it!'"

"Sounds about right," Anna agreed, giggling slightly as well.

Feeling no more empowered by the idea, Hermione muttered, "I wish I had a fairy godmother."

"Don't we all?" Anna agreed before standing up. "Well, my break's up, but good luck, Hermione Granger." With that, Anna raised her wand to her throat and tapped it twice. "Well, how do I sound?" she asked, her British accent gone and her voice somehow an octave higher.

"Like a princess," Hermione answered with a smile. Anna returned the smile, waving good-bye as she glided away. As Anna disappeared behind a corner, Hermione rose from her seat as well. There seemed to be only one thing left to do, but the thought of doing it gave Hermione a tightness in her chest. How did she end up in Gryffindor again?

* * *

><p>It was midmorning the next day when Severus rolled over in bed, his neck aching from his previous position. He had spent most of the last night tossing and turning, careful to avoid even caressing his bedmate. Feeling no similar battle from the other side of the bed, it seemed that despite his own discomfort, Hermione had slept effortlessly.<p>

As he lay there now, eyes closed but wide-awake, he couldn't help but think that it served him right. After returning to the hotel the day before, still buzzing from their confrontation, Severus had spent the remainder of his day pacing back and forth, considering the situation. Trying to reason through the nightmarish haze which had followed him most of the day, Severus knew that whatever Hermione had done, she certainly had no malicious intent. Yes, he was angry about the corner he felt backed into, but it wasn't her fault, only his own lack of self-confidence.

Resolved to this after several hours of internal turmoil, Severus knew that he would have to apologize. However, the sound of the key card sliding into the lock was enough to send him backwards into his own cowardly ways, and without much consideration, he had thrown himself down on the bed, eyes closed in feigned sleep. He had heard little sound for the next half an hour as Hermione went through her nightly rituals, but noted her presence as he felt the bed shift under her added weight. Embarrassed by his cowardliness, Severus made no attempt to touch her or even say goodnight, and instead spent the late night hours searching for sleep.

Sitting up in bed, his eyes unable to open in exhaustion, Severus blindly reached towards Hermione's side of the bed, finding it empty. Opening his eyes into squinted slits, he confirmed his findings, growling in annoyance. She had indeed left the room without so much as a word, a note, or any kind of trace that she had previously been there. Feeling as empty as the room, Severus slowly pulled himself out of bed. Whatever he did today, he could not spend another minute in that room.

An hour later, Severus found himself in the hotel lobby, feeling as despondent as ever as his eyes scanned the scattered empty chairs for a familiar form. Unsuccessful, he slumped down into a nearby wooden rocking chair. Sitting at the edge of the bubbling pool which fed the winding creek outside, Severus planted his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands. Allowing the soothing sound of running water to overcome him, he began to truly mope, moving from feelings of anger to self-loathing with the ease of an almost comfortable familiarity.

The brush of a strange hand on his shoulder interrupted him. Removing his hands from his face, Severus was nearly blinded by the gleam of the glistening white smile above him. The smile belonged to someone, of course, but for some reason, Severus could not tear his eyes away from the frighteningly pearly sheen and the unusually uniformed size of their teeth. These were not British teeth.

"Would you happen to be Severus?" asked the owner of the teeth, her smile unfaltering. Her cropped hair was brushed neatly forward, the copper buttons of her red, long-sleeved shirt were secured at her chin, and a name tag reading 'Lynne' was pinned carefully to the left side of her shirt. Severus knew who this must be, and he didn't like it.

"Excuse me, but I don't see why it's any business of yours," Severus replied stiffly. Not only had Lynne's façade remained intact, but it was clear by her knowing smile that she was prepared to dig her heels in.

"I apologize, sir; I should have introduced myself first. My name is Lynne and I am a member of the hotel's concierge staff. Perhaps your girlfriend may have mentioned me. I've been so eager to meet you." Severus responded with a sneer, but Lynne's unflinching friendliness was unsettling. What sort of training did Disney put these people through anyway?

"Yes, I'm Severus," he finally admitted begrudgingly. If it was possible, it seemed Lynne's smile brightened even more at this admission. Casually taking a seat on a neighboring rocking chair, she fixed him with her steady, blue-eyed gaze.

"Well," she began more seriously, "I suppose you're wondering where Hermione is." Severus silently returned her stare. Well, was he? Maybe that wasn't the real question. Perhaps the real question was whether he was ready to face her. She had softened his stubbornness so many times before; why was he so scared this time? Was he really so bloody self-sabotaging?

"Severus?" Lynne's sharp, melodic voice broke through the haze, grabbing his attention once more. "Look, I know you two are having some problems-" Pausing to acknowledge his accusatory look, she continued, "I promise, she didn't tell me anything. I could just tell. Call it a woman's intuition, if you'd like, or, maybe more straightforwardly, I saw the puffy, red eyes and sniffling." All urges to self-sabotage left Severus as did the breath in his lungs, as if kicked in the stomach.

"Where is she, then?" Severus asked, properly holding Lynne's gaze for the first time. There was a twinkle in Lynne's eyes, a horribly familiar one, but Severus didn't want to dwell on it.

"She's at Epcot," Lynne answered shortly. Without another word, Severus stood, a man on a mission. "Before you go," Lynne cut in, "could I offer you some help?" Realizing for the first time what he had to do, or better put, what he wanted to do, Severus nodded in agreement. Beaming, Lynne led Severus to the concierge desk, where the scheming would begin.

* * *

><p>Standing at the foot of the gigantic, golf-ball-like geodesic sphere known as Spaceship Earth, Severus felt overwhelmed. Not by the structure before him, however. It was the glossy, brightly colored map he held in his two sweaty hands which had Severus' heart racing slightly. He only had a few hours to find Hermione, and the size of the park seemed unforgiving in this pursuit. With a glance at Spaceship Earth's entrance, he resolved that the only way to find her was to jump right in, and with that he charged the building.<p>

Although he enjoyed the presentation of the history of human communication, as detailed on Spaceship Earth, he still had not located Hermione, and thus soldiered on through Future World. As he felt his cheeks pulled back in the simulated space travel of Mission: Space, his hair tousled by the sixty-five mile per hour hair pinturn of Test Track, and his interest peaked by the playful dolphins at the Living Seas, Severus couldn't help but wonder why he and Hermione hadn't come to this park first. The attractions were thrilling, but also intellectually stimulating. Perhaps she and Lynne were saving the best for last, not accounting for his uncanny ability to muck things up spectacularly. As a puckish dolphin pressed his bottlenose up against the glass, Severus readied himself to exit the Living Seas.

Once outside, Severus consulted his now-tattered map, only to discover that there was still one entire half of the park yet to be explored: the World Showcase. Split into several national pavilions, Severus knew immediately at which he would find Hermione. With his destination determined, Severus set off.

It took Severus only fifteen minutes to arrive at the bridge which separated the United Kingdom Pavilion from the French, and as he had predicted, he spotted a messy-haired Hermione leaning against a rail next to a stand selling crepes. Although Severus hadn't known where Hermione's parents had met, he knew that they were engaged in Paris, another site of several family trips throughout her childhood. Staring across the long bridge at an unsuspecting Hermione, Severus suddenly felt physically unable to move. His feet glued to the ground, he also began to feel light-headed, with sweaty palms and a fluttering heart. Aggravated by his sudden nerves, he wanted to yell "I'm Severus Bloody Snape, for Merlin's sake," but instead found himself backpedaling into the UK pavilion.

Seeking refuge in the stereotypically named Rose and Crown pub, Severus took a seat at random table. The pub was furnished with several dark wooden chairs and tables, and had a long bar, behind which were shelves of empty glasses, an assortment of alcohol, and beer taps.

Crouched over in his seat, Severus only looked up when he saw the shadow over his table. The waiter sported a pair of navy knee-length trousers, a cream long-sleeved shirt, and white knee socks. Muttering to himself, Severus commented, "I've lived in the UK all of my life, and never once have I seen anyone dressed like _that_."

"Nor have I," said the waiter, a smile in his eyes.

"Just a pint of Guinness," Severus requested, barely sparing the waiter another glance. The waiter seemed to take the hint, as he quickly left the table to retrieve Severus' order. Returning with the drink, he set it before Severus, only to remain standing by the side of the table. Ignoring the waiter's presence, Severus took a large gulp of his drink before putting his glass down with a _thud_.  
>"Are you all right, sir?" the waiter asked. Severus pointedly continued to ignore him, taking another gulp of his Guinness. <em>Are all of these bloody Disney people nosy parkers<em>? After several minutes, it appeared that the waiter had no intention of leaving, so with an internal sigh, Severus replied.

"Just came in for a drink." _There,_ he thought, _you have your answer. Run along now_. It seemed, however, the waiter intended on having a conversation.

"Do you have any plans for today?" Throwing the waiter an irritated look, Severus considered how calming it would be to wring his skinny neck. Instead, he took a calming breath.

"I just have… an important task to complete." _Please go away now._

"Nervous?" asked the waiter patiently.

Ready to throw the beer on the waiter's head, Severus responded, "Just having second thoughts."

"You ought to just do it, then," the waiter reasoned. "It's important, after all."

Severus' jaw clenched. How dare he make it seem like it was the easiest thing in the world? To be fair, said reason, which had only just now made an appearance in his head, the waiter didn't know what the 'task' was. Besides, Severus had faced so many frightening things before, so much more frightening than Hermione. _Hermione_. The thought stirred him, and suddenly he found himself throwing down what he owed and swiftly exiting the pub.

* * *

><p>It was late afternoon when Hermione took a seat on the edge of an elongated stone fountain in the center of a mock-Parisian street. People-watching, Hermione observed as people passed in and out of the busy French restaurant to her right and the strongly-scented perfume shop to her left. Across from the fountain, vendors sold personalized parasols, exaggerated caricatures, and delicious-looking crepes. Hermione had told herself that she wasn't looking for anyone in particular, despite the almost instinctual way her gaze followed any inky-haired passerby.<p>

If she were honest, Hermione would have to admit that she had been waiting for Severus to appear all day. She had given him space the night before, even as he pretended to sleep just to avoid her, and had hinted to Lynne that morning that he might be looking for her. But it seemed all of that was for naught, as she had seen neither hide nor hair of the man all day. Having spent most of the day moving ever so slowly through each pavilion, just in case, Hermione decided it was time to move on to the next one. As she stood, she was suddenly given reason to pause. Striding towards her quite purposely was the man she had been waiting for literally all day. Frozen, she simply continued to wait.

Arriving out of breath, Severus stopped about an arm-length in front of Hermione, a look of unease in his eyes. They stood their silently, hungrily staring at each other. Then, at once, they spoke.

"I'm sorry!"

Ever competitive, it took several competing attempts at "no, let me finish", before Severus nodded grimly allowing Hermione to speak.

"I'm sorry I coerced you into coming here. You clearly didn't want to come, but I forced you anyway." Severus gave her a look as if he wanted to cut in, but Hermione ignored it, continuing on. "I guess I just wanted you to have some happy memories to overshadow the bad ones… but I also haven't been completely honest with you." A confused Severus searched Hermione's eyes, but she placed a placating hand on his chest. "I've grown quite fond of you… and I'm willing to wait, but I want to marry you. And it's not because I think I should, but because I love you, and I want to be linked to you in every way possible for the rest of my life." Finishing with a deep breath, Hermione waited. It wasn't exactly an ultimatum, but it was far more direct than she had ever been.

Severus didn't look up at her, but instead folded her soft hands in his. "I think I overreacted yesterday." Hermione smiled wryly, but nodded for him to continue. "Before I met you, I didn't know what to do with kindness and affection, but you patiently taught me. I didn't think I could ever care so much about anyone after, well… but you allowed me. And if all you want in return is a ring, well…" Severus kneeled down on one knee in front of a shocked Hermione. "Who am I to begrudge you?"

Hermione blinked at a silver band in the center of Severus' outstretched palm. Following her gaze, Severus added, "I'm sorry it isn't very… glamorous. I got in a gift shop. There aren't exactly many jewelry stores nearby." Hermione was still peering at him strangely.

"Are you drunk?"

"What?" Severus choked out.

"Well, I smell a bit of alcohol on your breath…"

"Hermione!"

"Yes, yes, sorry. I just had to check." Gingerly, Hermione picked up the ring, sliding it onto her left ring finger. Then, without warning, she threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him backwards.

"It's a yes, then?" Severus asked hoarsely, the air knocked out of him from her assault. Instead of answering verbally, Hermione bent down to capture his lips. Overcome with relief, Severus gathered her up against him, holding her tight while maintaining the kiss.

The passionate embrace was short-lived, however, as the sound of cheering and clapping forced the couple to wrench themselves from each other. It seemed a small crowd had materialized around them during the dramatic proposal. Among the crowd, Hermione recognized Lynne, smiling and wiping a tear from her cheek. Perhaps she did have a fairy godmother after all.

Out of the crowd appeared a photographer insisting on catching all of the "magic." Too pleased with themselves to care, the couple obliged, posing as he directed. As the photographer snapped pictures, Hermione caught sight of a passing Cinderella, whom she recognized as Anna, giving a covert thumbs-up and wink. The biggest surprise of all, however, was the appearance of Mickey Mouse. Marching up to the couple with a cartoonish gait, he shook Severus' hand and ghosted Hermione's cheek with a kiss. He then bestowed the couple with metal buttons, reading "Happily Ever After."

The frenzy had lasted nearly twenty minutes before the crowd had finally begun to dissipate, leaving Hermione and Severus alone once again.

"So, any more surprises planned for tonight?" Hermione asked.

"Just dinner," Severus replied casually, gesturing to the neighboring French restaurant. Smiling, Hermione took his hand, and began moving towards the restaurant before Severus pulled her back.

"I was hoping you might help me with my button," he said, a smirk playing at his lips. Hermione laughed, carefully pinning the button to his shirt. After Severus returned the favor, Hermione made to move once more, but was again stopped.

This time in a low, nervous voice, Severus said, "Could we perhaps wait a couple years before we even start thinking about children?"

"All right," Hermione agreed, giving him a suspicious look. Severus' face broke into a relaxed smile, and he took her hand, leading her into the restaurant. Looking up at him, Hermione decided that they truly were in the place where dreams come true.


End file.
